What this criterion requires
If keyboard focus can move into a component, it must be able to move out again using standard keys (Tab, arrows, Escape). If a non-standard exit is needed, the user must be told how.
Who it helps
Keyboard and screen reader users, for whom a trap ends the session.
Example: fails vs passes
A modal you can Tab into, but Tab cycles inside forever and Escape does nothing.
The dialog closes on Escape and on Close, and returns focus to the button that opened it.
Third-party embeds - chat widgets, players - are the most common traps. Test them.
How to meet and fix it
- Manage focus in modals: trap intentionally but always release on Escape and on close
- Test third-party embeds (chat widgets, players, iframes) - they are the usual culprits
Common failures auditors find
- A modal that Tab cannot leave and Escape does not close
- Embedded players that swallow focus permanently
Automated scanning catches a share of these instantly - run a free check - and a manual audit covers the judgement calls a tool cannot make.
Sources
- W3C, Understanding 2.1.2: No Keyboard Trap - w3.org/WAI
- W3C, How to Meet 2.1.2 (quick reference) - w3.org/WAI/quickref
Last updated . Reviewed by the EqualWeb accessibility team.
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