When a keyboard user tabs into an aria-hidden element, the screen reader remains silent, leaving the user with no idea where their focus is or what they can interact with.
Quick Reference
- Elements with
aria-hidden="true"must not contain focusable children - Focusing on a hidden element creates a 'ghost' focus for screen reader users
- Use
tabindex="-1"orinertto properly hide interactive elements
Check
Scan aria-hidden="true" containers for focusable elements like links, buttons, or inputs.
Fix
Add tabindex="-1" to focusable children inside aria-hidden containers or use the inert attribute.
Explain
Explain why focusable elements inside aria-hidden containers cause confusion for keyboard and screen reader users.
Code Review
Review the rendered markup and interactive states that affect Remove focusable elements from aria-hidden containers. Flag exact elements, roles, labels, focus behavior, or keyboard interactions that violate the rule, and note how to verify the fix with browser accessibility tooling or assistive tech.
For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance,
see references/rule.md.
Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/accessibility/aria-hidden-focus