Interactive elements should be reachable and operable through a keyboard where the interface requires interaction. A visually obvious control can still be unavailable to someone using another input method. For this website search results, the practical test is whether the visitor can distinguish a valid empty result from a failed search and recover.
Can the page be used without a mouse?
Start with a reader trying a query that may return few or no results. The keyboard access check concerns result titles, relevant excerpts, count and recovery controls. An empty screen can be a broken filter or a valid empty result. The interface should explain the difference and provide a useful recovery action.
Search can cover a shared library, but it should not force a location or make another branch’s local offer appear universally available.
Check it on this page
Search a phrase that matches a later article, use a restrictive combination that returns no results, then reset and open a relevant result.
- Tab through the controls in a meaningful order.
- Open menus and operate links with the keyboard.
- Check the return from any expanded or modal state in an approved preview.
A shared link treatment underlined an entire content block
One reviewed page applied hover underlining to a large linked area, making the whole block look like linked text. The repair needed to address the scope of the style rather than rewriting the content.
For this website search results, the check focuses on result titles, relevant excerpts, count and recovery controls. Style the action label deliberately and check the pointer and keyboard states after changing a shared rule.
Repair the source, then check the published result
Repair inaccessible controls and preserve suitable native behavior. Retest entry, interaction and recovery instead of checking only the first focusable element.
Record the keyboard access result for this destination, then repeat the customer route until the visitor can distinguish a valid empty result from a failed search and recover. If the repair changed a shared component, compare another destination with different approved facts to detect unintended copying.
Explore a relevant example
The linked Benchmark page helps you inspect result titles, relevant excerpts, count and recovery controls. It is a current example to explore, not evidence that every business has the same problem.
Further reading
Platform guidance can change. Consult the current official documentation before making platform-specific changes.
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