WCAG 2.2 - All Success Criteria

Accessibility Checkpoints

WCAG 2.2 - Success Criterion

1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose

Level AA

Description

For input fields that collect information about the user, the purpose of each field must be programmatically determinable using HTML autocomplete attributes. This allows browsers and assistive technologies to identify the type of personal data being requested and to offer autofill, custom icons, or other adaptations that help users with cognitive disabilities, memory impairments, or motor difficulties complete forms more easily.

How To Test

  1. Identify all form inputs on the page that collect personal information about the user.
  2. Inspect each such input element and check whether an autocomplete attribute is present.
  3. Verify the autocomplete value matches an appropriate value from the WCAG list of input purposes (e.g., name, email, tel, bday, street-address).
  4. Confirm the autocomplete attribute value accurately reflects the actual data being collected by the field.
  5. Check that the autocomplete attribute is not set to off for fields where autofill would benefit the user.
  6. Use a browser with autofill capability to test that the browser correctly identifies and offers to fill each field.

Testing Tools

Demo

Input purpose demo

Inputs have labels but no autocomplete attribute - browsers cannot offer autofill and symbol-based AT tools cannot render purpose icons.

Code
Order form with billing & shipping

Order form with billing and shipping addresses. Both use autocomplete="street-address" - autofill tools cannot distinguish between them.

Billing Address
Shipping Address

Why this fails

Both billing and shipping address fields use the same autocomplete value. Autofill tools cannot distinguish between them, so they may fill the billing address into the shipping field or vice versa. The semantic distinction is lost.

Why this passes

Using autocomplete="billing street-address" and autocomplete="shipping street-address" (with billing/shipping prefixes) allows autofill tools and assistive technology to understand the distinct purposes. Users with autofill tools get correct suggestions for each address type.

Code
Password change form

Password change form without autocomplete attributes. Password managers cannot tell which field is the current password and which is the new password.

Why this fails

Password fields without autocomplete attributes give password managers no semantic hint about the field's purpose. A password manager may incorrectly fill the current password into the new password field, or vice versa. Users have to manually manage password changes without tool support.

Why this passes

Using autocomplete="current-password" for existing password fields and autocomplete="new-password" for new password fields allows password managers to handle password changes correctly. Users can update their password securely with minimal manual data entry.

Code

Fail Explanation

A failure occurs when form inputs that collect common personal information - such as name, email, phone number, address, or credit card details - do not have the appropriate autocomplete attribute. Without this attribute, browsers cannot offer autofill assistance, and tools that replace form labels with familiar icons (an aid for users with cognitive disabilities) cannot identify the field's purpose. Users who rely on autofill to avoid repeated data entry are also disadvantaged.

Pass Explanation

A passing implementation adds the correct autocomplete attribute value from the HTML specification's list of input purposes to each relevant form field. For example, a field collecting a user's first name should have autocomplete="given-name", an email field should have autocomplete="email", and a field for a street address should have autocomplete="street-address". The autocomplete attribute value must match the actual purpose of the field.

Notes

This criterion applies only to fields that collect information about the user themselves, not arbitrary data entry fields such as a search box or a message composition field. The complete list of valid autocomplete values for this criterion is defined in the WCAG 2.1/2.2 Success Criterion 1.3.5 normative content and the HTML Living Standard.

Techniques

WCAG techniques used in this demo: H98

Suggested Solutions & References

Curated from 12 real-world audit findings and official WCAG guidance.