5 Common ARIA Mistakes Developers Make and How To Fix Them

Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) is a powerful tool for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. It provides a way to add semantic meaning to elements that might not have it natively, helping screen readers and other assistive technologies understand and interact with web content. However, ARIA is often misunderstood or misused, leading to accessibility issues rather than solutions. In this article, we’ll go through five common ARIA mistakes web developers make and how to fix them.

1. Using ARIA When Native HTML Works Fine

The Mistake:

One of the most common mistakes is overusing ARIA when native HTML elements already provide the necessary functionality. For example, using <div role="button"> instead of a native <button> element. While ARIA can enhance accessibility, it doesn’t replace the built-in behavior and semantics of native HTML elements.

Why It’s a Problem:

Native HTML elements come with built-in accessibility features, keyboard interactions, and styling. When you use ARIA to recreate these features, you risk missing something important, like focus management or default keyboard behavior, which can break accessibility.

How to Fix It:

Always prefer native HTML elements over ARIA whenever possible. For instance, use <button> for buttons, <a> for links, and <input type="checkbox"> for checkboxes. If you must use ARIA, ensure you’re adding it to enhance, not replace, native semantics.

2. Overusing ARIA Roles and Attributes

The Mistake:

Developers sometimes add ARIA roles and attributes to every element, thinking it will improve accessibility. For example, adding role="navigation" to every <nav> or aria-label to elements that don’t need it.

Why It’s a Problem:

Overusing ARIA can create unnecessary noise for assistive technologies, making it harder for users to navigate and understand the content. It can also lead to redundancy, as many HTML elements already have implicit ARIA roles.

How to Fix It:

Use ARIA sparingly and only when necessary. Before adding an ARIA role or attribute, ask yourself: Does this element already have the semantics I need? If the answer is yes, skip the ARIA. For example, <nav> already has an implicit role="navigation", so adding it explicitly is unnecessary.

3. Forgetting to Manage Focus

The Mistake:

When creating custom interactive components like modals, dropdowns, or tabs, developers often forget to manage focus properly. For example, opening a modal without moving focus into it or closing it without returning focus to the triggering element.

Why It’s a Problem:

Focus management is critical for keyboard and screen reader users. If focus isn’t handled correctly, users can get lost or stuck, making the interface unusable.

How to Fix It:

When creating custom components, ensure focus is managed appropriately. For modals, move focus into the modal when it opens and return it to the triggering element when it closes. Use JavaScript to set focus with element.focus() and consider using aria-modal="true" to indicate the modal’s presence. For dropdowns and tabs, use tabindex and aria-selected to manage focus and state.

4. Ignoring ARIA States and Properties

The Mistake:

Developers often add ARIA roles but forget to update ARIA states and properties dynamically. For example, creating a collapsible section with aria-expanded but not toggling its value when the section expands or collapses.

Why It’s a Problem:

ARIA states and properties provide critical information about the current state of an element. If they’re not updated, assistive technologies won’t know when something changes, leading to confusion for users.

How to Fix It:

Always pair ARIA roles with the appropriate states and properties, and ensure they’re updated dynamically. For example, if you’re creating a collapsible section, toggle aria-expanded between true and false when the section is expanded or collapsed. Similarly, use aria-checked for checkboxes and aria-selected for tabs or list items.

5. Not Testing with Real Users and Assistive Technologies

The Mistake:

Many developers rely solely on automated accessibility testing tools and don’t test their ARIA implementations with real users or assistive technologies like screen readers.

Why It’s a Problem:

Automated tools can’t catch all accessibility issues, especially those related to ARIA. Without testing with real users, you might miss subtle but critical problems that affect the user experience.

How to Fix It:

Incorporate manual testing and user testing into your workflow. Use screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, or Voice Over to test your ARIA implementations. Better yet, involve people with disabilities in your testing process to get real-world feedback. Remember, accessibility is about people, not just compliance.

Keep Learning and Stay Updated. ARIA is a complex and evolving standard, and even experienced developers can make mistakes. The key is to keep learning and stay updated on best practices. Follow accessibility blogs, participate in forums, and refer to resources like the [WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.2/) guide.

Final Thoughts:

ARIA is a powerful tool, but it’s not a magic wand for accessibility. Misusing it can do more harm than good. By avoiding these common mistakes: overusing ARIA, ignoring native HTML, mismanaging focus, neglecting states and properties, and skipping real-world testing; you can create more inclusive and accessible web experiences. Remember, accessibility isn’t just a checkbox; it’s a commitment to making the web better for everyone. So, let’s build with care, test with empathy, and keep learning along the way. Happy coding!

What ARIA mistakes have you encountered or fixed in your projects? Share your experiences.