Understanding WCAG 2.0

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Focus Visible:
Understanding SC 2.4.7

2.4.7 Focus Visible: Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible. (Level AA)

The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that there is at least one mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator can be visually located.

  • This Success Criterion helps anyone who relies on the keyboard to operate the page, by letting them visually determine the component on which keyboard operations will interact at any point in time.

  • People with attention limitations, short term memory limitations, or limitations in executive processes benefit by being able to discover where the focus is located.

Resources are for information purposes only, no endorsement implied.

Each numbered item in this section represents a technique or combination of techniques that the WCAG Working Group deems sufficient for meeting this Success Criterion. The techniques listed only satisfy the Success Criterion if all of the WCAG 2.0 conformance requirements have been met.

  1. G149: Using user interface components that are highlighted by the user agent when they receive focus

  2. C15: Using CSS to change the presentation of a user interface component when it receives focus (CSS)

  3. G165: Using the default focus indicator for the platform so that high visibility default focus indicators will carry over

  4. G195: Using an author-supplied, highly visible focus indicator

  5. SCR31: Using script to change the background color or border of the element with focus (Scripting)

Although not required for conformance, the following additional techniques should be considered in order to make content more accessible. Not all techniques can be used or would be effective in all situations.

  • Highlighting a link or control when the mouse hovers over it (future link)

  • Providing a highly visible highlighting mechanism for links or controls when they receive keyboard focus (future link)

The following are common mistakes that are considered failures of Success Criterion 2.4.7 by the WCAG Working Group.

This Web page is part of Understanding WCAG 2.0: A guide to understanding and implementing WCAG 2.0. The entire document is also available as a single HTML file. See the The WCAG 2.0 Documents for an explanation of how this document fits in with other Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 documents.

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