- Success Criterion 2.4.3
- Conformance level A
Modal That Opens Without Moving Keyboard Focus Into It
2.4.3 — Focus Order
Scenario
Setting
A job board's application form
What’s wrong
Opening a modal without moving focus into it. Tab continues through background page.
Example
Here's a real case from a job board's application form: opening a modal without moving focus into it. Tab continues through background page.
Why it matters
Keyboard and screen-reader users who follow focus rather than the pointer. In this case (a job board's application form), they can't operate the feature without a mouse.
How to test
Open a modal and press Tab: if focus continues through the background page instead of moving into the modal, it fails.
How to fix
Move focus to the dialog's first element (or the dialog itself) when it opens.
Outcome
Once corrected, a job board's application form lets them keep track of where they are on the page.
Who is affected
Keyboard and screen-reader users who follow focus rather than the pointer.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Tab Order That Jumps Around the Page Illogically
- Dialog That Opens Far From the Button That Triggered It
- Visual Layout Order That Doesn’t Match the Keyboard Tab Order
- Modal That Closes Without Returning Focus to Its Trigger
- Expanded Content That Never Receives Keyboard Focus
- Hidden Navigation Items That Are Still Reachable by Tab