 Dave Gash  Meggin Kearney  Rob Dodson [X](https://twitter.com/rob_dodson) [GitHub](https://github.com/robdodson) [Homepage](https://robdodson.me)  Alexandra Klepper [GitHub](https://github.com/alexandrascript) [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/alexandrascript.com)
The default tab order provided by the DOM position of semantic HTML elements is
convenient, but there may be times you need to modify the tab order. Moving
elements in the HTML is ideal, but might not be feasible. In these cases, you
can use the `tabindex` HTML attribute to explicitly set an element's tab
position.
Browser Support
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[Source](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/HTML/Reference/Global_attributes/tabindex)
> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** The `tabindex` attribute is only one aspect of managing focus. See [Learn Accessibility: Keyboard focus](https://web.dev/learn/accessibility/focus) for a full discussion.
`tabindex` can be applied to any element, although it's not necessarily
useful on every element, and takes a range of integer values. With
`tabindex`, you can specify an explicit order for focusable page elements,
insert an otherwise unfocusable element into the tab order, and remove elements
from the tab order. For example:
`tabindex="0"`: Inserts an element into the natural tab order. The element can
be focused by pressing Tab, and the element can be focused by calling
its `focus()` method.
`tabindex="-1"`: Removes an element from the natural tab order, but the element
can still be focused by calling its `focus()` method.
`tabindex="5"`: Any tabindex greater than `0` brings that element to the front
of the natural tab order. If there are multiple elements with a tabindex greater
than `0`, the tab order starts from the lowest value that is greater than zero
and works its way up.
> [!WARNING]
> **Warning:** As a general rule, avoid positive tabindexes. Disrupting the normal focus order may confuse and frustrate your users. It's therefore likely to cause a failure of [Success Criterion 2.4.3](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#focus-order).
This is particularly true for non-input elements like headers, images, or article
titles. When possible, it's best to arrange your source code so the DOM sequence provides a
logical tab order. If you do use `tabindex`, restrict it to custom interactive
controls like buttons, tabs, dropdowns, and text fields; that is, elements the
user might expect to provide input to.
Only add `tabindex` to content that is interactive. Even if content is important, such as a key image, screen reader users can understand it without
adding focus.
## Manage focus at the page level
Sometimes, `tabindex` is necessary for a seamless user experience. For example,
if you build a robust single page with different content sections, where not
all content is simultaneously visible. This could mean navigation links
change the visible content, without a page refresh.
In this case, identify the selected content area and give it a `tabindex` of
`-1` and call its `focus` method. This ensures the content doesn't appear in
the natural tab order. This technique, called *managing focus*, keeps the
user's perceived context in sync with the site's visual content.
## Manage focus in components
In some cases, you must also manage focus at the control level, such as with
custom components.
> [!CAUTION]
> **Caution:** When possible, use semantic HTML instead of building custom components.
For example, the `select` element can receive basic focus, but once
there, you can use the arrow keys to expose additional selectable options.
If you build a custom `select` element, it's important to replicate that
behavior, so keyboard users can still interact with your control.
Knowing which keyboard behaviors to implement can be difficult. The
[Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) Authoring
Practices](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/)
guide lists types of components and what kinds of keyboard actions they support.
Perhaps you're working on [Custom Elements](https://web.dev/articles/custom-elements-v1) that
resemble a set of radio buttons, but with your unique take on appearance and
behavior.
Water
Coffee
Tea
Cola
Ginger Ale
To determine what keyboard support they need, check the
[ARIA Authoring Practices
guide](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/).
Section 2 contains a list of design patterns, including
[characteristics table for radio
groups](https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/#radiobutton),
the existing component that most closely matches your new element.
One of the common keyboard behaviors that should be
supported is the up/down/left/right arrow keys. To add this behavior to the new
component, we use a technique called *roving tabindex*.
Roving tabindex works by setting `tabindex` to -1 for all children except the
currently-active one.
Water
Coffee
Tea
Cola
Ginger Ale
The component uses a keyboard event listener to determine which key the
user presses; when this happens, it sets the previously focused child's
`tabindex` to -1, sets the to-be-focused child's `tabindex` to 0, and calls the
focus method on it.
Water
Coffee // call .focus() on this element
Tea
Cola
Ginger Ale
When the user reaches the last (or first, depending on the direction they're
moving the focus) child, focus loops back around to the first (or last)
child.
Try the following example. Inspect the element in the
DevTools to observe the tabindex moving from one radio to the next.
## Modals and keyboard traps
It's best to avoid manually managing focus, as it can lead to complicated situations.
For example, an autocomplete widget that tries to manage focus and captures
the tab behavior, but prevents the user from leaving it until it's complete.
This is called a *keyboard trap*, and it can be very frustrating for the user.
Section 2.1.2 of WCAG states that [keyboard focus should never be locked or
trapped at one particular page element](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#no-keyboard-trap).
The user should be able to navigate to and from all page elements using only the
keyboard.
The exception to this rule is modals. However, you should still avoid using
`tabindex` when creating a modal. With [`inert`](https://web.dev/articles/inert), you can
ensure that users can't accidentally interact with an element (an intentional
keyboard trap). Use the [`