3.3.1 Error Identification

What this criterion requires

When an input error is detected, the item in error is identified and the error is described to the user in text.

Who it helps

Screen reader users, who cannot see a red border; everyone who deserves to know what went wrong.

Example: fails vs passes

.field.error { border-color: red; }  /* the only signal */

<input id="email" aria-invalid="true" aria-describedby="email-err">
    <p id="email-err" role="alert">Enter an email address that includes an @ sign.</p>

Errors must be identified in text, name the field, and be programmatically tied to it.

How to meet and fix it

• Show a text message naming the field and the problem ("Email address is missing an @")
• Programmatically associate the message with the field (aria-describedby) and set aria-invalid

Common failures auditors find

• Color-only error indication
• A generic "form contains errors" with no field identification

Automated scanning catches a share of these instantly - run a free check - and a manual audit covers the judgement calls a tool cannot make.

Last updated 12 August 2026. Reviewed by the EqualWeb accessibility team.