WCAG 2.2 · Level AAA · Operable
2.4.13 Focus Appearance
Manual verification
How to validate 2.4.13 by hand
At Level AAA, measure the visible keyboard focus indicator’s area and contrast when focus changes.
Start with the extension result
Reopen the reported URL and reproduce the same state (for example, after expanding a menu or submitting a form). Use the result’s Highlight action when available, or its affected-element details and CSS selector, to find the reported content. Apply the checks below to that content and its context. If the element or state has changed, rescan and record that difference before deciding whether the finding still applies.
- Capture the same component in unfocused and focused states and identify the pixels that form the focus indicator.
- Measure whether the indicator area is at least equivalent to a two-CSS-pixel-thick perimeter of the unfocused component.
- Compare the changed pixels between focused and unfocused states and verify at least 3:1 contrast, including adjacent colors.
Evidence to record
Keep both states, viewport scale, indicator area measurement, pixel/color comparison, and any criterion exception.
Scope and exceptions
This is a Level AAA measurement criterion with exceptions for user-agent-controlled indicators and unmodified author defaults. A visible outline alone does not prove the area and contrast requirements.
Record the review outcome
- Confirmed: the recorded evidence shows the requirement is not met in the tested page state, and no applicable exception explains it.
- Not reproduced: the reported issue is absent in the current state. Record the URL, state, and affected element you checked; this does not prove other pages or states conform.
- Needs more review: evidence is incomplete, the content requires human judgment, or an exception is uncertain. Record what remains to be checked instead of treating it as a pass.