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Keyboard Navigation & Focus

Many people — including those using screen readers or with motor disabilities — navigate entirely by keyboard. If your site needs a mouse, it excludes them.

Test it in two minutes

Put your mouse aside. Press Tab to move through the page. You should reach every link, button, and field, see a visible focus outline, and be able to activate everything with Enter or Space.

Avoid keyboard traps

A keyboard trap is anything you can Tab into but can’t Tab out of — often modals, menus, or embedded widgets. Make sure focus can always move on, and that Escape closes overlays.

Don’t remove focus styles

A common mistake is hiding the focus outline for looks. Keep a clear, high-contrast focus indicator so keyboard users can see where they are.

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More guides

The WCAG 2.1 AA Checklist for Small BusinessesADA Website Lawsuits, ExplainedHow to Write Alt Text (With Examples)Color Contrast Requirements (WCAG 1.4.3)How to Build Accessible FormsHow to Test Your Site with a Screen Reader