This criterion addresses when receiving and then removing pointer hover or keyboard focus trigger additional content to become visible and then hidden.
What you need to know
When content shows on hover on focus, the following must be true:
- There is a way to dismiss the additional content without moving the hover or focus.
- If a hover triggers the additional content, the pointer can be moved over the additional content without the additional content disappearing.
- The additional content remains visible until the hover or focus trigger is removed, the user dismisses it, or its information is no longer valid.
The main takeaway is that the primary content should remain fully accessible even when additional content is triggered – and that secondary content should also be accessible.
What you need to do
Make it so any additional content (e.g., tool tips, pop-ups, submenus, etc.) can be dismissed or remain visible if the user desires.
If a user on your website does something that causes additional content to show (e.g., a tool tip, instructions), then you have to make the following three provisions:
- A user can get rid of the additional content without moving their pointer or tabbing onto something else (e.g., by hitting the ESC key).
- The additional content will not disappear if the user moves their pointer over it.
- The additional content remains visible until pointer hover or focus is removed, the user dismisses it, or the content is no longer valid/applicable.
Reference
Read the full explanation of success criterion 1.4.13 on W3.org.
Related Resource
Read “Making content on focus or hover hoverable, dismissible, and persistent” on W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative for more information about this success criterion.