- Success Criterion 3.3.8
- Conformance level AA
Email Magic-Link Login That’s Broken or Expires Instantly
3.3.8 — Accessible Authentication (Minimum)
Scenario
Setting
A hotel booking site's room-selection page
What’s wrong
Email magic-link offered but broken/expired instantly, leaving cognitive-test path as the only working method.
Example
<!-- Login requires solving an image CAPTCHA, no alternative -->Why it matters
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone who depends on password managers or paste.
How to test
Try the email magic-link login alternative: if it's broken or expires almost instantly, leaving the cognitive-test method as the only working path, it fails.
How to fix
Login must work with paste and password managers — any cognitive test must have a non-cognitive alternative method.
<!-- Login uses email + password, or a passkey, with no puzzle/transcription step -->Authentication can't rely solely on solving a puzzle or transcription task with no cognitive-function-test alternative.
Outcome
On a hotel booking site's room-selection page, this barrier is gone for people with cognitive disabilities and anyone who depends on password managers or paste — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.
Who is affected
People with cognitive disabilities and anyone who depends on password managers or paste.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Password Field That Blocks Pasting or Splits the Code Up
- Password Field Scripted to Block Paste Entirely
- Password Manager Autofill Blocked by the Login Form
- Visual CAPTCHA Required With No Non-Visual Alternative
- Puzzle CAPTCHA Gating Login With No Alternative Method
- One-Time Code Split Into Boxes That Reject a Pasted Code