OpenA11y Evaluation Library

Character Key Shortcuts

Rule ID Shortcut 1
Conformance Required
Definition When a keyboard shortcut is implemented in content using only letter, punctuation, number, or symbol characters, then users should be able to either turn off the shortcuts, change the characters or the shortcuts only activate in the context a specific widget.
Purpose
  • Screen reader users will be able to turn off single-key shortcuts so they can avoid accidentally firing batches of them at once. This will allow speech users to make full use of programs that offer single-key shortcuts to keyboard users.
  • Keyboard-only users who have dexterity challenges can also be prone to accidentally hitting keys. Those users would be able to avoid problematic single character shortcuts by turning them off or modifying them to include at least one non-character key.
  • Allowing all shortcut keys to be remapped can help users with some cognitive disabilities, since the same shortcuts can be assigned to perform the same actions across different applications.
Conformance Required
WCAG Success Criteria

Success Criterion 2.1.4 Character Key Shortcuts

Other Related Success Criterion:

Rule Category Keyboard Support
Rule Scope Page
First Step no
Techniques
  • The shortcut can be turned off.
  • Provide a way to change the shortcut to include one or more non-printable keyboard keys, for example Ctrl or Alt.
  • The keyboard shortcut for a user interface component is only active when that component has focus.
Information Links