On Focus - Success Criterion 3.2.1 (Level A)

Question

When interactive elements receive focus in your site or application, are major changes to content predictable and controllable by the user?

Why is this important?

Unexpected changes on a page, such as opening a new window automatically or moving focus to another element can cause confusion for users. This is particularly problematic for people with visual, cognitive, and fine motor disabilities.

Whom does it benefit?

Example 1

As a person with a fine motor impairment who relies on the keyboard,
I want to navigate using the tab key without unintentionally activating content
so that I can choose the elements I want to interact with.

Example 2

As a person who is blind and uses a screen reader,
I want to be able to concentrate on the content being read, without new windows opening automatically
so that I can understand what is on a page and open new windows when I choose.

What should you do?

Make sure that interactive elements on a page receive focus, but can only be activated by the user.

How do you do it?

Ensure that no actions occur automatically when content receives focus. For example, links and windows should not open unless the user activates the element.
Verify with keyboard navigation only, that nothing moves or causes a change on the page automatically.