Operable · Level A · Introduced in WCAG 2.0
WCAG 2.4.3: Focus Order
Published by whatisADA / Grow Wild Agency · Updated
What this criterion means
Where navigation sequence affects meaning or operation, keyboard focus must follow a sequence that preserves both. Test the flow through dynamic states as well as the initial page.
A practical example
A checkout adds delivery options after a radio selection, but focus jumps to the footer. Keep the selected control in place and insert the new options in a logical reading and focus order.
How to check it
- Tab and Shift+Tab through the important task while noting the active element.
- Open and close dialogs, reveal conditional fields and trigger errors or route changes.
- Verify that focus stays in a useful place and that completing the next step does not require searching backward through unrelated controls.
What can be missed
Focus order need not duplicate every visual detail. Avoid positive tabindex values and judge whether the sequence makes the task understandable and operable.
Record your test
Use this worksheet to record what you actually checked. Notes stay on this device when you choose Save; they are not sent to us. Avoid personal or confidential information on shared devices.
These are your observations, not automated results or a conformance certificate. A complete evaluation needs appropriate scope, supported technologies, all applicable criteria and relevant page states.
Primary sources and scope
This is independent implementation guidance with original examples. The linked standard contains the full definitions, exceptions and conformance requirements. A criterion or checklist alone does not establish legal applicability or whole-site conformance.