# Using user interface components that are highlighted by the user agent when they receive focus

ID: G149

Technology: general

Type: Technique

## When to Use

All technologies with user agent provided focus highlighting.

## Description

The objective of this technique is to ensure that the focused component can be visually identified by the user by relying on user agent support. It is common for user agents to highlight standard controls in some way when they receive focus. UAAG-conformant user agents do so when they satisfy checkpoint 10.2 "Highlight selection, content focus, enabled elements, visited links". When authors use standard controls for which the user agent provides this support, users are informed of the focus location in a standard, predictable way.

## Examples

- When html text input fields receive focus, browsers display a blinking vertical bar at the insertion point in the text field.
- When html links receive focus, they are surrounded by a dotted focus highlight rectangle.

## Tests

### Procedure

For each focusable component in the Web page:

1. Set focus to the control
2. Check whether the user agent has highlighted the control in some way

### Expected Results

- #2 is true

## Resources

- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 10.2: Highlight selection, content focus, enabled elements, visited links