Paste a keyboard focus trace and your intended section order above, then select Build focus order audit to see WCAG 2.4.3 findings.
About the WCAG focus order audit pad
The WCAG focus order audit pad turns a pasted keyboard focus trace into a quick read on whether the tab order matches the order a sighted user expects. WCAG 2.4.3 (Focus Order) requires that when a page is navigated by keyboard, focus moves through interactive elements in an order that preserves meaning and operability. Tab through the page, record each element as it receives focus, paste that trace with your intended section order, and the pad lists the focus-order problems with a severity, the observed step, the intended region, and a remediation note.
It is built for accessibility testers, frontend QA, and agencies preparing keyboard-navigation review artifacts. The pad flags a positive tabindex that forces a manual tab order, a skip link that is not the first focusable element, regions reached out of the intended order, and a region whose focus run is interrupted and resumed later. The parse runs entirely in your browser. The focus trace, element labels, selectors, URLs, and region names are not uploaded, logged, or stored, which matters because a trace can expose unreleased page structure, admin URLs, and internal flow names. This is a review aid, not a certification, so confirm each finding against the page and the criterion.
How to use
- Tab through the page from the top and note each element as it receives focus, in order.
- Paste one focused element per line in the focus trace box. Two sample inputs are loaded so you can see the format the pad expects.
- Tag each line with its region using [Header] or | Header, and record a positive tab index with tabindex=2.
- List your intended section order, one region per line, in the second box (for example Header, then Primary navigation, then Main content, then Footer).
- Select Build focus order audit to see the findings, grouped by severity, with the observed step and a remediation note.
- Copy the remediation note into your review ticket or download the CSV for your audit log, then confirm each finding against the page.
Worked examples
A control reached through a positive tabindex
When a line records tabindex=2, the pad flags it high risk because a positive tab index forces a manual focus order that can diverge from the DOM order.
A skip link that is not the first stop
A skip link reached at step three rather than step one is flagged because keyboard users must tab past other controls before they can bypass repeated blocks.
Main content reached before the navigation
When focus reaches the main content region before the primary navigation, but the intended order lists navigation first, the pad reports an out-of-order region so you can fix the DOM sequence.
Frequently asked questions
- What is WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order?
- WCAG 2.4.3 (Focus Order) is a Level A success criterion. It requires that when a page can be navigated sequentially with a keyboard, focus moves through focusable elements in an order that preserves meaning and operability. A tab order that jumps around the page, skips back, or forces a manual order with positive tabindex can fail this criterion.
- How do I record a focus trace?
- Click in the address bar or at the top of the page, then press Tab repeatedly and write down each element as it receives focus, in order. Put one element per line. Add the region in square brackets, such as [Header] or [Main content], and note a positive tab index as tabindex=2. The skip link, if any, should be the first line.
- How does the pad decide severity?
- It uses deterministic heuristics. A positive tabindex and a region reached out of the intended order are high. A skip link that is not first and a region whose focus run is interleaved (focus leaves the region and returns later) are medium. The pad does not run the page; it reasons only about the trace and the intended order you paste.
- Is my focus trace uploaded anywhere?
- No. The audit runs entirely in your browser. The focus trace, element labels, selectors, URLs, and region names are never uploaded, logged, or stored, and they are not included in any analytics. Only coarse, anonymous count bands are recorded so we can tell how often the pad is used.
- Does this replace a full accessibility audit?
- No. It is a fast triage aid for one success criterion, WCAG 2.4.3 Focus Order. It does not check color contrast, names and roles, keyboard traps, or any other criterion, and it does not certify conformance. Use it alongside a full manual and automated accessibility review.
- Is the WCAG focus order audit pad free?
- Yes. It is free to use and does not require an account.
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