Keyboard Focus

19th June 2025

3 min read

What is Keyboard Focus?

> Key point: this assists people with low vision, mobility & cognitive disabilities.

People that cannot use a computer mouse, have low vision, or cognitive disabilities, often need to navigate content using only their keyboard.

That means people need help to know where they are (visible focus), and content is made available in a logical sequence (focus order).

1). Visible focus

Keyboard navigation normally creates a visible focus outline around links & buttons as people explore content. This is very important to help people know where they are.

Unfortunately, that visible focus outline is often missing because some designers prefer to remove it.  In doing so, they inadvertently remove a vital indicator for people who rely on keyboard-only navigation.

2). Focus order

Focus order is also very important because navigation by keyboard-only is sequential.  With each keyboard command, the focus moves from left to right as it moves down the page.

In other words, without a computer mouse, keyboard-only users must move through a website / app / document left to right, in descending order.

But, if the focus order is not correct, then the focus can suddenly skip over content & land somewhere unrelated.  This can be very confusing & leave people feeling totally frustrated, especially if they are also using a screen reader at the same time.

Making sure your digital content has good visible focus & focus order, will create a positive experience for everyone.

Contact me today if you wish to know more about Keyboard Focus & digital accessibility.