WCAG 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus
Content that appears on hover or keyboard focus (a tooltip, a dropdown preview) must be dismissible, stay visible while the visitor is pointing at it, and remain visible until dismissed or no longer relevant.
Table of contents
What WCAG 1.4.13 Requires
Content that appears on hover or keyboard focus (a tooltip, a dropdown preview) must be dismissible, stay visible while the visitor is pointing at it, and remain visible until dismissed or no longer relevant.
How to Test It by Hand
Hover over an element that triggers a tooltip and check that you can move the mouse onto the tooltip itself without it disappearing, and that Escape dismisses it.
Common Failures
- A tooltip disappears the instant the mouse moves toward it, making its content impossible to read.
- Hover content has no way to dismiss it other than moving the mouse completely away.
Testing WCAG 1.4.13 With AccessBell
This criterion depends on meaning or context, so it needs a person to judge. AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail automatically, so it is not missed.
Run a free scan to spot issues on your own pages.
Related Criteria in Distinguishable
- 1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.2 Audio Control (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.4 Resize Text (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.7 Low or No Background Audio (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.8 Visual Presentation (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
- 1.4.10 Reflow (Level AA, WCAG 2.1)
- 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast (Level AA, WCAG 2.1)
- 1.4.12 Text Spacing (Level AA, WCAG 2.1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What does WCAG 1.4.13 require?
Content that appears on hover or keyboard focus (a tooltip, a dropdown preview) must be dismissible, stay visible while the visitor is pointing at it, and remain visible until dismissed or no longer relevant.
Can AccessBell test WCAG 1.4.13 automatically?
Not fully. This criterion needs a person to judge, so AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail on its own.
What level is WCAG 1.4.13?
Level AA, added in WCAG 2.1. Level AA is the level referenced by the ADA, Section 508 and most accessibility laws.
Sources
- W3C: Understanding 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus (opens in a new tab)
- W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (opens in a new tab)
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