fixing-accessibility

name	fixing-accessibility
description	Audit and fix HTML accessibility issues including ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, focus management, color contrast, and form errors. Use when adding interactive controls, forms, dialogs, or reviewing WCAG compliance.

fixing-accessibility

Fix accessibility issues.

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)

Do not rewrite large parts of the UI. Prefer minimal, targeted fixes.

when to apply

Reference these guidelines when:

• 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

priority	category	impact
1	accessible names	critical
2	keyboard access	critical
3	focus and dialogs	critical
4	semantics	high
5	forms and errors	high
6	announcements	medium-high
7	contrast and states	medium
8	media and motion	low-medium
9	tool boundaries	critical

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