• Success Criterion 2.5.2
  • Conformance level A

Custom Gesture That Commits Mid-Motion Instead of on Release

2.5.2 — Pointer Cancellation

Scenario

Setting

A weather app's forecast screen

What’s wrong

Custom gesture recognizers that commit at threshold mid-gesture rather than on release.

Example

Picture a weather app's forecast screen: custom gesture recognizers that commit at threshold mid-gesture rather than on release.

Why it matters

People with tremor or imprecise pointing who need to cancel a down-press. Here, on a weather app's forecast screen, the result is they can't operate the feature without a mouse.

How to test

Perform a custom gesture and release partway through, after the threshold: if the system commits mid-gesture rather than waiting for release, it fails.

How to fix

The action must complete on release (up-event) so the user can slide off to abort, or an abort/undo must be available.

Outcome

After the fix, the same visitor to a weather app's forecast screen can now reach and operate the control without a mouse.

Who is affected

People with tremor or imprecise pointing who need to cancel a down-press.

Learn more