Understanding:Success Criterion 3.3.3: Error Suggestion

Success Criterion 3.3.3 Error Suggestion (Level AA): If an input error is automatically detected and suggestions for correction are known, then the suggestions are provided to the user, unless it would jeopardize the security or purpose of the content.

Intent

The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that users receive appropriate suggestions for correction of an input error if it is possible. The definition of "input error" says that it is "information provided by the user that is not accepted" by the system. Some examples of information that is not accepted include information that is required but omitted by the user and information that is provided by the user but that falls outside the required data format or allowed values.

Success Criterion 3.3.1 provides for notification of errors. However, persons with cognitive limitations may find it difficult to understand how to correct the errors. People with visual disabilities may not be able to figure out exactly how to correct the error. In the case of an unsuccessful form submission, users may abandon the form because they may be unsure of how to correct the error even though they are aware that it has occurred.

The content author may provide the description of the error, or the user agent may provide the description of the error based on technology-specific, programmatically determined information.

Benefits
  • Providing information about how to correct input errors allows users who have learning disabilities to fill in a form successfully.
  • Users who are blind or have impaired vision understand more easily the nature of the input error and how to correct it.
  • People with motion impairment can reduce the number of times they need to change an input value.

Examples

  • Additional Help for Correcting An Input Error

    The result of a form that was not successfully submitted describes an input error in place in the page along with the correct input and offers additional help for the form field that caused the input error.

  • Suggestions from a Limited Set of Values

    An input field requires that a month name be entered. If the user enters "12," suggestions for correction may include

    • A list of the acceptable values, e.g., "Choose one of: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December."
    • The conversion of the input data interpreted as a different month format, e.g., "Do you mean 'December'?"

Techniques

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. However, it is not necessary to use these particular techniques. For information on using other techniques, see Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria, particularly the "Other Techniques" section.

Note

In some cases, more than one of these situations may apply. For example, when a mandatory field also requires the data to be in a specific format.

Sufficient Techniques

Select the situation below that matches your content. Each situation includes techniques or combinations of techniques that are known and documented to be sufficient for that situation.

Situation A: If information for a field is required to be in a specific data format:

  1. ARIA18: Using aria-alertdialog to Identify Errors
  2. G85: Providing a text description when user input falls outside the required format or values
  3. G177: Providing suggested correction text
  4. PDF22: Indicating when user input falls outside the required format or values in PDF forms

Situation B: Information provided by the user is required to be one of a limited set of values:

  1. ARIA18: Using aria-alertdialog to Identify Errors
  2. G84: Providing a text description when the user provides information that is not in the list of allowed values
  3. G177: Providing suggested correction text
  4. PDF22: Indicating when user input falls outside the required format or values in PDF forms

Advisory Techniques

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.

Client-Side Scripting Techniques (Advisory)

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