Provide persistently visible controls

Important Information about Techniques

See Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria for important information about the usage of these informative techniques and how they relate to the normative WCAG 2.2 success criteria. The Applicability section explains the scope of the technique, and the presence of techniques for a specific technology does not imply that the technology can be used in all situations to create content that meets WCAG 2.2.

Applicability

Content implemented in any technology.

This technique relates to Success Criterion 3.2.7: Visible Controls (Sufficient).

Description

The objective of this technique is to ensure that controls are visible without requiring the user hover with the mouse or another pointer device or move the keyboard focus to the control. This is important when the user needs the control to progress or complete a process. Ensuring users can see the controls they need prevents users from having to search for controls and remember where they are located. This improves success for individuals with cognitive and learning disabilities and memory impairments.

To meet this technique use controls that are visible without onmouseover or onfocus events.

Some pages may appear cluttered when the same control is repeated in multiple places on the page. Often in these cases, the control is not needed to progress but is functioning as a shortcut through the process. If the control is provided in a later step when it is needed to progress, then these shortcuts do not need to be displayed.

Tests

Procedure

For controls that progress or complete a process:

  1. Verify that the controls are visible at the time they are needed without requiring pointer hover or keyboard focus.

Note: Where a page has multiple page variations (i.e., in a responsive design) controls should be tested in each variation.

Expected Results

  • #1 is true.