Ensure the Autocomplete Attribute Is Correct and Suitable for the Form Field

Any common input field that collects a person’s personal data should be programmatically defined based on the list of 53 Input Purposes for User Interface Components. The autocomplete attribute values must be valid and spelled correctly.

Why It Matters

Screen readers do not read identified autocomplete form fields if the appropriate autocomplete attribute values are missing. This means users cannot correctly navigate forms when screen readers cannot provide the right information regarding form field interaction requirements.

Fixing the Issue

Start by identifying any form elements that accept an individual’s personal data.

For each form element that accepts an individual’s personal data:

• Check to see if the personal data is one of the 53 types identified in WCAG 2.1 Section 7 Input Purposes for User Interface Components opens in a new window.
• Confirm that the autocomplete attribute is set with the appropriate value to identify the purpose of that UI component.

Test Cases

For more examples, visit W3C’s GitHub’s ATC Rules library.