Keyboard navigation: how to find and fix barriers

If a task cannot be completed with a keyboard, it will not be reliable for many people using assistive technology.

Complete a task without a mouse

Open the page and use Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, and Escape. The order should follow visual and functional logic, and focus should always show where you are.

Keyboard checklist

Turn these checks into a repeatable task for design, content, and development.

A skip link reaches main content.
Visible focus has contrast and is not obscured.
No positive tabindex changes the natural order.
Menus, accordions, and dialogs work with keyboard controls.
There is no focus trap outside an open modal.

Next step

Add this journey to every release review and document components that need manual testing.