What does keyboard accessibility mean, and which keys do users expect to work?

Keyboard accessibility means every feature can be used without a mouse (WCAG 2.1.1). People who rely on it include screen reader users, people with motor disabilities, switch device users and power users.

The keys users expect:

• Tab and Shift+Tab: move forward and backward between interactive elements.
• Enter: activates links and buttons.
• Space: activates buttons, toggles checkboxes and scrolls the page.
• Arrow keys: move inside groups such as radios, tabs, menus and lists.
• Esc: closes dialogs, menus and popups.
• Home and End: jump to the first or last item in a list.

What makes it work:

• Use native elements (button, a href, input), which are focusable and keyboard-ready.
• Keep a visible focus indicator (WCAG 2.4.7).
• Keep a logical focus order that matches the visual order.
• Never create a keyboard trap: users must be able to leave every component.
• Avoid positive tabindex values.

Try it yourself: unplug the mouse and complete a task on your own page.