[playpause]

This looks like a great resource. Human checklists are not perfect but they tend to be better than automated checks for this sort of thing.

But there is a common form of accessibility guideline that I have a problem with, and this one illustrates it well: "Avoid using the autofocus attribute." The problem here is it quietly pits users with special accessibility needs against the rest - "Just don't use feature X." OK, but what should I do instead for the rest of my users who benefited from feature X? What if I'm making a search engine landing page and I want to automatically focus the input on page load (and automatically bring up their keyboard if touchscreen)? Is there some other approach that achieves the same UX as the autofocus attribute but without creating accessibility problems?

According to MDN, "When autofocus is assigned, screen-readers 'teleport' their user to the form control without warning them beforehand." OK, but really? Why? Why don't they offer the user the option to not do that?

[Diggsey]

I agree with the comment, but:

> Why? Why don't they offer the user the option to not do that?

A screen-reader doesn't replace the browser - it just responds to changes in focus by reading out a description of the currently focused item. It should be the browser that offers an option to disable autofocus. Firefox does seem to have an option in about:config called "browser.autofocus" which I assume does this exact thing.

[mwcampbell]

The screen reader could still choose to ignore the automatic focus and read the whole page instead.

[extra88]

Checklists are not a place for nuance. A search engine landing page is a place where using autofocus in the search field is perfectly appropriate; autofocusing a search field that's in the header of every page is not.

[playpause]

I agree, autofocusing a search field that's in the header of every page is not generally appropriate, but that's not specifically about accessibility. It would be annoying for anyone on a mobile device (keyboard pops up on every page), and the focus ring and/or blinking cursor would be distracting.

What about cases where it is appropriate to autofocus the search input (as it's the primary action on the page) but where there also might (sometimes) be an important text notice above the search input? Sighted users would see the notice fine, while screenreader users would be 'teleported' (MDN's word) straight past it, missing the notice.

[wwweston]

I have no particular disability at the moment and I’m struggling to think of anything that autofocus adds to my browsing experience and not struggling to think of times it’s annoyed me.

[hallway_monitor]

On the other hand, I am endlessly annoyed when e.g. Ebay / Amazon do not auto focus the search box on page load. Anything else I'm going to click and probably 50% of the time I want to search. Just auto-focus please.

[Vinnl]

> it quietly pits users with special accessibility needs against the rest

Not just that; it pits users with one accessibility need against users with another. (Or I guess, not "pits" so much, sometimes needs just conflict.) For example, for someone with motor impairments, having to control the mouse (or pressing Tab a lot) to focus an input field rather than being able to use their keyboard right away is not a great experience.

[FalconSensei]

I don't remember which site has autofocus for the username and I absolutely HATE IT, specially because it did that after a small delay - probably loading all js and crap - so it would change the focus from the PASSWORD field to the user field.