- Success Criterion 3.3.3
- Conformance level AA
Rejected Entry With No Suggested Near-Match From a Known List
3.3.3 — Error Suggestion
Scenario
Setting
A community forum's discussion thread
What’s wrong
Search-style inputs with known valid value lists rejecting entries and not suggesting near matches while they're computable.
Example
<span class="error">Invalid input</span>Why it matters
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages.
How to test
Enter a near-miss value in a field with a known valid list (e.g., a misspelled city name): if no near-match suggestion is offered where feasible, it fails.
How to fix
The error message must tell the user how to fix the problem — the expected format, range, or valid options.
<span class="error">Enter a year between 1990 and 2026</span>Error text should suggest the fix — the expected format or valid range — not just flag that something's wrong.
Outcome
On a community forum's discussion thread, this barrier is gone for people with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.
Who is affected
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone stalled by vague validation messages.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Rejected Input With No Guidance on How to Fix It
- Invalid Entry Message With No Hint at the Expected Format
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- Taken Username With No Suggested Alternatives Offered
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