- Success Criterion 3.2.2
- Conformance level A
- W3C reference F37
Selecting an Option That Opens a New Window With No Warning
3.2.2 — On Input
Scenario
Setting
A pharmacy app's prescription-refill form
What’s wrong
Choosing a radio button, checkbox, or dropdown option suddenly opens a new window or jumps somewhere else without warning the user first.
Example
<select onchange="location.href=this.value">Why it matters
Keyboard and screen-reader users, and people who need predictable form behavior.
How to test
Interact with an input control and watch for a new window/tab opening with no prior warning: if it opens unannounced, it fails.
How to fix
Selecting a radio/checkbox/option must not change context — require an explicit button, or warn the user first.
<select onchange="updatePreview()"></select><button onclick="navigate()">Go</button>Changing a value should update state, not silently navigate — let the user confirm with an explicit action.
Outcome
On a pharmacy app's prescription-refill form, this barrier is gone for keyboard and screen-reader users — they get the same result as anyone else here.
Who is affected
Keyboard and screen-reader users, and people who need predictable form behavior.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
- Technique Related technique (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Form That Submits Itself the Moment the Last Field Is Filled
- Dropdown That Navigates to a New Page on Selection
- Checking a Box That Reloads the Page and Loses Entries
- Country Selector That Re-Renders the Form and Drops Focus
- Search Box That Auto-Navigates Once Enough Characters Are Typed
- Radio Selection That Auto-Advances a Multi-Step Wizard