Focusable Elements - ally.js Compatibility Table

The following tables show the differences between what browsers consider focusable and what ally.js identifies using ally.is.focusable, ally.is.tabbable, ally.is.onlyTabbable and ally.get.focusRedirectTarget.

Note that touch devices (without a physical keyboard) only show elements as tabbable (keyboard focusable), that can be navigated to through the on-screen keyboard (or "virtual keyboard").

Document Elements
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<html>` 2 1	inert -1	inert -1	inert 0	inert 0	inert 0	inert 0	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	tabbable inert 0	tabbable inert 0	tabbable inert 0	inert -1	inert -1	inert -1	inert -1	inert -1	inert -1	inert -1
`<body>` 3 1	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert 0 E S	focusable inert 0 E S	focusable inert 0 E S	focusable inert 0 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	tabbable inert 0 E	tabbable inert 0	tabbable inert 0 E	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S	focusable inert -1 E S

Label Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<label for="…"> with <input id="…">` 6	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	inert redirecting 0 7	inert redirecting 0 7	inert redirecting 0 7	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T
`<label> with nested <input>` 6	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	inert redirecting 0	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	inert redirecting 0 7	inert redirecting 0 7	inert redirecting 0 7	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T	redirecting -1 T

Image Maps
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<input> between <img usemap="#map"> and <img usemap="#map">` 51	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	focusable tabbable 0 50	focusable tabbable 0 50	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	focusable 0	tabbable 0
`<area> child of <map name="#…"> with <object type="image/png" usemap="#…">`	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	focusable inert 0 R	focusable inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R
`<area href="…"> with <object type="image/png" usemap="#…" >`	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	focusable inert 0 R	focusable inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R	inert 0 R

Media Elements
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<audio controls tabindex="-1">`	tabbable -1	tabbable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	tabbable focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	tabbable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1	focusable -1

Iframe Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<iframe src="…"> without focusable content` 21 22	tabbable focusable 0 S	tabbable focusable 0 S	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	tabbable focusable 0 E S C	tabbable focusable 0 E S C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	tabbable focusable 0 S	tabbable focusable 0 S	tabbable focusable 0 S	tabbable focusable 0 S	tabbable focusable 0 S	focusable 0 S	focusable 0 S
`<iframe src="…"> with SVG document` 21 22	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	tabbable focusable 0 E S C	focusable 0 E S C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C	focusable 0 S C
`<html> and <body> in <iframe>` 21 22	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M

Embed Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<embed>`	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M

Object Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="…">` 32	focusable 0	focusable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	focusable -1	focusable -1	inert 0	focusable tabbable 0 33	tabbable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0
`<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="…" tabindex="0">` 32	focusable 0	focusable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	tabbable 0	inert 0	focusable tabbable 0 33	tabbable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0	focusable 0
`<object type="image/svg+xml" data="…">` 32	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	tabbable 0 E S C	focusable tabbable 0 E S C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C
`<object type="image/svg+xml" data="…" tabindex="0">` 32	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	tabbable 0 E S C	focusable tabbable 0 E S C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	inert host inert 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C	focusable 0 C

SVG Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<rect onfocus="">` 34 41 42	tabbable inert 0 40	tabbable inert 0 40	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert -1	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	tabbable inert 0 40	tabbable inert 0 40	tabbable inert 0 40	tabbable inert 0	tabbable inert 0 40	focusable inert 0 40	focusable inert 0

SVG use element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<use> referencing focusable content` 39	only tabbable inert -1 S 37	only tabbable inert -1 S 37	inert null M 73	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert -1	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	only tabbable inert -1 S	inert -1 38	only tabbable inert -1 S	only tabbable inert -1 S	only tabbable inert -1 S	inert -1	inert -1

SVG Document in Iframe Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<svg> within <iframe>` 21 21	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	only tabbable inert null M E S T R	only tabbable inert null M E S T R	inert null M T R	tabbable -1 E S T R	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R

SVG Document in Embed Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`content in <embed>` 23 24	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M

SVG Document in Object Element
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<svg> within <object style="display: none">`	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	focusable inert -1 E S R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73
`<svg> within <object style="visibility: hidden">`	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	focusable inert -1 E S R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert null M R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R	inert -1 R
`<svg> within <object> within <details>`	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	inert null M T R	inert null M T R	inert null M R	focusable inert -1 E S R	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	tabbable null M T R	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73	inert null M 73

Questionable Elements
Element	Chrome		Microsoft Edge				Firefox		IE			Opera	Safari			WebKit Nightly	Chrome Mobile (Android)	Safari (iOS)
Element	55.0	57.0	12.10240	13.10586	14.14393	15.14951	50.0	53.0	9.0	10.0	11.0	42.0	8.0	9.1	10.0	604.1	55.0	10.0
`<keygen …>` 53 54	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M 52	inert null M 52	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M	inert null M

Footnotes

The DOM Element Interface is missing the focus method.
The focus event is not emitted upon the element becoming the active element (document.activeElement).
The :focus CSS pseudo class is not set on the element when it is the active element (document.activeElement).
The element becomes the active element (document.activeElement) when an element of contentDocument or the shadowRoot has focus.
Note 1

Considering the <html> and <body> element focusable should have no benefit to a website (unless explicitly made focusable by adding the tabindex attribute), which is why ally.js considers the <html> and <body> element inert.
Note 2

The <html> element itself is not considered focusable, but some browsers may give it focus when focus is passed from browser UI to the document.
Note 3

The <body> element itself is not considered focusable, but it is has focus (i.e. is document.activeElement) if no other element has focus.
Note 6

The activation behavior of the <label> element is not defined beyond »… should match the platform's label behavior.«
Note 7

Internet Explorer redirects focus from <label> to the referenced form control element upon mouse click, but not on script focus via element.focus().
Note 21

Technically the content of an iframe can be accessible to script.
Note 22

Because of the Same Origin Policy we can't reliably look inside <iframe>s to determine their content, which is why ally.js considers all <iframe> content inert
Note 23

There is no API to interact with the content document of an <embed> element
Note 24

Because there is no API to dive into the content document of an <embed> element, ally.js considers all <embed> content inert.
Note 32

The behavior of the <object> element depends on the content it presents. The most common content types used with <object> are SVG and SWF.
Note 33

This element is actually tabbable (keyboard focusable).

But when tabbing to it, the <kbd>Tab</kbd> behavior for the entire document breaks, as focus remains stuck on the browser UI.

This might be related to Trident 1109008.
Note 34

SVG 1.1 does not specify much in respect to accessibility. SVG 2 will bring the tabindex attribute. SVG Tiny 1.2 knows the focusable attribute.
Note 37

The <use> element is keyboard focusable if it references content that contains focusable elements. Blink 665121
Note 38

This element is actually tabbable (keyboard focusable).

However, as soon as a <use> element became the active element, the <kbd>Tab</kbd> effectively becomes useless, because the tabbing order cannot be navigated anymore. See this demo.
Note 39

<use> elements referencing focusable content cannot be identified by ally.js
Note 40

By registering a focus event listener the element becomes focusable. Blink 445798, WebKit 140024.

This is undetectable because elements don't provide a list of their registered event handlers.
Note 41

SVG 2: Focus says:

In particular, user agents may support using keyboard focus to reveal ‘title’ element text as tooltips, and may allow focus to reach elements which have been assigned listeners for mouse, pointer, or focus events
Note 42

Elements made focusable by way of adding a focus event listener cannot be identified by ally.js
Note 50

Firefox may hide elements from the document's tabbing sequence if they're enclosed by two images referencing the same image map - Gecko 1116126.
Note 51

This test is not about an element's focusable state, but about potentially content that's potentially hidden from the tabbing sequence.
Note 52

Firefox transforms <keygen> to <select _moz-type="-mozilla-keygen"> while parsing HTML.
Note 53

The <keygen> element is poorly supported, practically never used and has seen intent to deprecate
Note 54

Because the <keygen> element is poorly supported, ally considers all <keygen> elements focus-relevant but not focusable.
Note 58

Focus is redirected to the labeled control.
Note 59

Focus is redirected to the nested labeled control.
Note 63

The <iframe>'s document manages its own focus. Any time the <iframe> or its content has focus, the master document's activeElement points to the <iframe>.

Note that <iframe>s are only accessible to script when they share the same origin.
Note 65

The <object>'s document manages its own focus. Any time the <object> or its content has focus, the master document's activeElement points to the <object>.

Note that <object>s are only accessible to script via element.contentWindow when they share the same origin.
Note 73

This element could not be tested in this browser.
Note 79

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <iframe> has the following state:
- is the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- receives a focus event
Note 80

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element details object[src=svg] has the following state:
- is the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- receives a focus event
Note 81

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element details object[src=svg] has the following state:
- is the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- does not receive a focus event
Note 82

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element details object[src=svg] has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- does not receive a focus event
Note 87

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <iframe> has the following state:
- is the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- does not receive a focus event
Note 88

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <iframe> has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- receives a focus event
Note 89

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <object usemap="…"> has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- does not receive a focus event
Note 90

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <object usemap="…"> has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- receives a focus event
Note 91

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <object type="image/svg+xml"> has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- receives a focus event
Note 94

When this element is the activeElement, the reference element <object type="image/svg+xml"> has the following state:
- is not the activeElement in its context
- does not have the :focus CSS pseudo class applied
- does not receive a focus event

Focusable Elements - ally.js Compatibility Table

Footnotes

Note 1

Note 2

Note 3

Note 6

Note 7

Note 21

Note 22

Note 23

Note 24

Note 32

Note 33

Note 34

Note 37

Note 38

Note 39

Note 40

Note 41

Note 42

Note 50

Note 51

Note 52

Note 53

Note 54

Note 58

Note 59

Note 63

Note 65

Note 73

Note 79

Note 80

Note 81

Note 82

Note 87

Note 88

Note 89

Note 90

Note 91

Note 94