Keyboard navigation: the test most sites fail
By The AsasWeb team 1 min read
Put the mouse aside and try to complete your most important task using only Tab, Shift and Tab, Enter, Space, and the arrow keys. A site passes when focus is always visible, moves in a logical order, reaches every link, button, and field, and can escape any menu or dialog. If a task cannot be finished by keyboard, a real group of customers cannot finish it either, and keyboard access is the foundation screen reader use is built on.
Here is a test you can run in five minutes: put your mouse aside and try to use your own website with only the keyboard. Many people have to browse this way, including some who use a screen reader and many with motor differences. A surprising number of sites fail this test.
How to test
Use the Tab key to move forward, Shift and Tab to move back, Enter and Space to activate, and the arrow keys inside menus. Try to complete your most important task, such as finding a product or sending an enquiry, without touching the mouse.
What to look for
- Can you see where you are? A clear, visible focus style must follow you as you tab. If the focus is invisible, the site is unusable by keyboard.
- Is the order logical? Focus should move in a sensible reading order, not jump around.
- Can you reach everything? Every link, button, and field must be reachable and operable, including menus and pop-ups.
- Can you get out? Open a menu or dialog, then close it with the Escape key and check that focus returns somewhere sensible. Watch for traps you cannot tab out of.
Why it matters
If you cannot complete a task by keyboard, a real group of customers cannot either, and they will leave. Keyboard access is also the foundation that screen reader use is built on, so fixing it lifts accessibility broadly.
We run a keyboard-only pass on every build, including focus-trapped menus that close on Escape and return focus cleanly. If your site fails the unplug-the-mouse test, start a project and we will fix it.