How to test
Keyboard Operability
Put the mouse away. Everything a mouse user can do, a keyboard user must be able to do too — reach it, operate it, and get out of it — with a visible focus indicator the whole way through.
What to test
- Every interactive element is reachable with Tab / Shift+Tab.
- Focus order follows the visual and reading order.
- Each control operates with its expected keys (Enter/Space, arrows inside composite widgets).
- A visible focus indicator is present on every stop, in both themes.
- No keyboard traps — you can always Tab or Escape away.
- Focus is never hidden behind sticky headers or overlays.
How to test
- 1Tab through the whole page from the top and watch where focus lands.
- 2Operate each widget with the keys its APG pattern specifies (see the Keyboard Reference).
- 3Open menus and dialogs; confirm focus moves in, is contained, and returns on close.
- 4Confirm the focus ring stays visible at every stop.
Common failures
- Click handlers on <div>/<span> with no keyboard support.
- Custom widgets missing arrow-key navigation.
- focus-visible:outline-none with no visible replacement.
- Focus dropped to <body> after a modal closes.