fixing-accessibility

how to use

• /fixing-accessibility

  Apply these constraints to any UI work in this conversation.

• /fixing-accessibility <file>

  Review the file against all rules below and report:
  • violations (quote the exact line or snippet)
  • why it matters (one short sentence)
  • a concrete fix (code-level suggestion)

when to apply

• adding or changing buttons, links, inputs, menus, dialogs, tabs, dropdowns
• building forms, validation, error states, helper text
• implementing keyboard shortcuts or custom interactions
• working on focus states, focus trapping, or modal behavior
• rendering icon-only controls
• adding hover-only interactions or hidden content

rule categories by priority

quick reference

1. accessible names (critical)

• every interactive control must have an accessible name
• icon-only buttons must have aria-label or aria-labelledby
• every input, select, and textarea must be labeled
• links must have meaningful text (no “click here”)
• decorative icons must be aria-hidden

2. keyboard access (critical)

• do not use div or span as buttons without full keyboard support
• all interactive elements must be reachable by Tab
• focus must be visible for keyboard users
• do not use tabindex greater than 0
• Escape must close dialogs or overlays when applicable

3. focus and dialogs (critical)

• modals must trap focus while open
• restore focus to the trigger on close
• set initial focus inside dialogs
• opening a dialog should not scroll the page unexpectedly

4. semantics (high)

• prefer native elements (button, a, input) over role-based hacks
• if a role is used, required aria attributes must be present
• lists must use ul or ol with li
• do not skip heading levels
• tables must use th for headers when applicable

5. forms and errors (high)

• errors must be linked to fields using aria-describedby
• required fields must be announced
• invalid fields must set aria-invalid
• helper text must be associated with inputs
• disabled submit actions must explain why

6. announcements (medium-high)

• critical form errors should use aria-live
• loading states should use aria-busy or status text
• toasts must not be the only way to convey critical information
• expandable controls must use aria-expanded and aria-controls

7. contrast and states (medium)

• ensure sufficient contrast for text and icons
• hover-only interactions must have keyboard equivalents
• disabled states must not rely on color alone
• do not remove focus outlines without a visible replacement

8. media and motion (low-medium)

• images must have correct alt text (meaningful or empty)
• videos with speech should provide captions when relevant
• respect prefers-reduced-motion for non-essential motion
• avoid autoplaying media with sound

9. tool boundaries (critical)

• prefer minimal changes, do not refactor unrelated code
• do not add aria when native semantics already solve the problem
• do not migrate UI libraries unless requested

common fixes

<!-- icon-only button: add aria-label -->
<!-- before --> <button><svg>...</svg></button>
<!-- after -->  <button aria-label="Close"><svg aria-hidden="true">...</svg></button>

<!-- div as button: use native element -->
<!-- before --> <div onclick="save()">Save</div>
<!-- after -->  <button onclick="save()">Save</button>

<!-- form error: link with aria-describedby -->
<!-- before --> <input id="email" /> <span>Invalid email</span>
<!-- after -->  <input id="email" aria-describedby="email-err" aria-invalid="true" /> <span id="email-err">Invalid email</span>

review guidance

• fix critical issues first (names, keyboard, focus, tool boundaries)
• prefer native HTML before adding aria
• quote the exact snippet, state the failure, propose a small fix
• for complex widgets (menu, dialog, combobox), prefer established accessible primitives over custom behavior