Pick the main task in your web app: submitting a form, uploading a file, booking an appointment, or creating a project.
Now put the mouse aside and try to finish it using the keyboard.
Where does the journey first become confusing or impossible?
Some useful places to check:
- A custom dropdown that opens but cannot be operated
- A dialog that opens without a clear focus position
- A validation error that appears somewhere the user does not notice
- A drag-and-drop interaction with no usable alternative
- A focus indicator that disappears against the background
- A component you can enter but cannot leave
W3C’s keyboard accessibility guidance explains why functionality needs a keyboard-operable route, with a limited exception for inherently path-dependent input. Its no-keyboard-trap guidance addresses being able to leave a component again.
A keyboard walkthrough is a useful first check. It does not establish full accessibility or replace screen-reader and other accessibility testing.
What is one keyboard-accessibility bug your team found late, and what changed in your development or review process afterward?
If you are building something new, which critical flow will you test first?
Waqas Ahmad | Software Engineer | Content Creator
