• Success Criterion 2.5.1
  • Conformance level A

Pull-to-Refresh as the Only Way to Refresh Content

2.5.1 — Pointer Gestures

Scenario

Setting

A photo-sharing app's upload screen

What’s wrong

Pull-to-refresh as the only refresh mechanism.

Example

Try this on a photo-sharing app's upload screen: pull-to-refresh as the only refresh mechanism.

Why it matters

People with limited hand mobility and users of head-pointers, sticks, or eye-gaze systems. On a photo-sharing app's upload screen specifically, they lose track of where they are on the page.

How to test

Try tapping a refresh button instead of pulling down: if pull-to-refresh is the only mechanism, it fails.

How to fix

A single-tap/click alternative must exist for every path-based or multi-point gesture.

Outcome

Fixed, a visitor to a photo-sharing app's upload screen can complete the task using only the keyboard.

Who is affected

People with limited hand mobility and users of head-pointers, sticks, or eye-gaze systems.

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