Keyboard Support

This document provides requirements for making UIs compliant with keyboard accessibility guidelines.

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Checklist

Use these checklists to make the UI compliant. Related items are grouped together for easier understanding.

1. Tab Chain

Item
Page contains tab chains and elements can be focused by keyboard controls
Elements in the tab chain are grouped and groups can be navigated with keyboard controls
Tab chains are expanded with static content for extra accessibility
Focus can be moved inside elements with embedded navigation options
Focus can be moved inside the elements of a container
Selection in lists and grids can be made using keyboard controls
Complex layouts can be navigated with Tab and Arrow keys
Complex components can be navigated by keyboard controls

2. Item Actions

Item
Elements with actions can be triggered by keyboard controls
Selection inside a grid-like interface is supported by keyboard controls
The selected value of list-based inputs can be changed without opening the list
Expandable/collapsible elements can be opened and closed with keyboard controls
Tooltips can be displayed or hidden with keyboard controls
Drill-down details for an element can be accessed with keyboard controls
Contextual menus can be operated with keyboard controls
Deletable items can be deleted using keyboard controls
Lists of properties for objects can be edited with keyboard controls

3. Text Editing

Item
Text cursor can be moved with keyboard controls
Editable elements can be edited using only keyboard controls
Text editors support paragraph navigation with keyboard controls
Text inputs that require specific case are automatically formatted

4. Navigation

Item
Multi-step interfaces can be navigated with keyboard controls
Dialogs can be cancelled or accepted by keyboard controls
Floating elements can be closed with the Escape key
Pagination can be used without moving focus to it

5. Scrolling and Zooming

Item
The layout adapts to resizing and zooming
Scrollable containers can be scrolled using keyboard controls
Pages and canvases can be zoomed using keyboard controls
Draggable canvases can be navigated with keyboard controls

6. Special

Item
Media players support keyboard controls
Scrubbing interfaces can be accessed with keyboard controls

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Details

Tab Chain

Elements are tabbable and a tab chain exists on the page. A tab chain should be structured like reading order: left to right, then the next line.

Keys	Action
Tab	Move focus forward
Shift + Tab	Move focus backward

Scrollable containers should auto-scroll so focused elements remain visible.

Tab Chain Groups

Keys	Action
Ctrl + Tab or F6	Move focus to the next group
Ctrl + Shift + Tab or Shift + F6	Move focus to the previous group

Selection in Lists and Grids

Keys	Action
Left arrow	Move focus left/backward
Right arrow	Move focus right/forward
Up arrow	Move focus up
Down arrow	Move focus down
Home	Move focus to first item
End	Move focus to last item

Activating Elements

Keys	Action
Spacebar or Enter	Activate focused element
Enter	Activates the default button in a dialog
Escape while Spacebar is pressed	Cancel activation

Links:

Keys	Action
Enter	Open link in same window
Shift + Enter	Open link in new window
Ctrl + Enter	Open link in new tab

Deletion

Keys	Action
Delete	Delete selected items or character after cursor
Backspace	Delete selected items or character before cursor

Drill-Down

Keys	Action
F2	Activate UI element action (equivalent to double click)
Enter	Start an underlying action or dialog
Alt + Enter	Open properties dialog

Escape

Press Escape to return to a safe state — cancels dialogs, closes popover lists and panels.

Focus Into Element with Navigation

Automatic focus switching when navigating into a child element:

• Window/page: default or last focus location
• Dialog: first interactive or autofocus element
• Containers: first interactive or autofocus element
• List-like elements: first item

Editable Elements

Keys	Action
F2	Invoke inline editing
Enter or Tab	Accept changes
Escape	Revert changes
Delete	Delete character after cursor
Backspace	Delete character before cursor

Expand/Collapse

Keys	Action
Right arrow	Expand and move focus to first child
Left arrow	Collapse and move focus to parent
+ or Numpad +	Expand without moving focus
- or Numpad -	Collapse without moving focus

Grid Selection

Keys	Action
Ctrl + Space	Select entire column
Shift + Space	Select entire row
Ctrl + A	Select all items

Contextual Menus

Keys	Action
ContextMenu key or Shift + F10	Open context menu
Escape	Close menu
Up arrow / Down arrow	Move focus within menu
Enter	Activate focused item

Tooltips

Keys	Action
Shift + Ctrl + I	Show/hide tooltip for focused element

List Quick Access

Keys	Action
Left arrow	Select previous item
Right arrow	Select next item

Dialogs

Keys	Action
Enter	Accept and close dialog
Escape	Cancel and close dialog

Multi-Step Navigation

Keys	Action
Enter	Navigate to next step
Escape	Cancel wizard and close dialog
Shift + Enter	Navigate to previous step

Pagination

Keys	Action
Ctrl + PageDown	Next page
Ctrl + PageUp	Previous page

Text Cursor

Move the cursor with Arrow keys, Home, End, Ctrl + Left, and Ctrl + Right (word step).

Paragraph Navigation

Keys	Action
Ctrl + Up Arrow	Move to previous paragraph
Ctrl + Down Arrow	Move to next paragraph

Scrollable Containers

Keys	Action
Arrow keys	Scroll in a specific direction
Spacebar / Shift + Spacebar	Scroll down / up

Canvas Zooming

Keys	Action
Ctrl + +	Zoom in
Ctrl + -	Zoom out
Alt + Ctrl + 0	Default zoom level

Canvas Panning

Keys	Action
Arrow keys	Directional scrolling
PageDown / PageUp	Scroll one page down/up
Alt + PageDown / PageUp	Scroll one page right/left

Media Players

Keys	Action
Spacebar or P	Play/pause
+ / -	Increase/decrease volume
M	Mute/unmute
Left arrow / Right arrow	Previous/next frame
PageDown / PageUp	Next/previous chapter
Ctrl + Home / End	Jump to beginning/end