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WCAG 2.1

4.1.3 Status Messages

Level AA success criterion

Status messages should be programmatically determined without receiving focus.

Why it matters

Screen reader users need to hear confirmations, errors, and updates without hunting for them.

Common violations

  • Form success messages not announced
  • Toast notifications without ARIA live regions
  • Error banners that require manual focus

Code examples

Bad

<div class="toast">Saved</div>

Good

<div role="status" aria-live="polite">Saved</div>

How to fix

Use aria-live regions for dynamic updates and ensure messages are announced automatically.

Related criteria

Related resources

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