Focus follows a logical reading order
What this criterion checks
This criterion maps to 2.4.3. Focus order (A). A detailed plain-language description is maintained in the WebLens criteria catalogue; the WCAG sub-test breakdown below describes exactly what the agent checks and what it does not.
How it's assessed
WebLens walks each user journey, captures a screenshot at every step, and an agent reasons over that evidence. See the how WebLens works for the full pipeline and the deterministic checks layered in for accessibility.
Sub-test coverage
2.4.3. Focus order (A) is broken into 3 sub-tests. Coverage is honest about where the agent is reliable, where it only partially checks the requirement, and where a human reviewer is still needed.
1 partial2 not covered
- Focus order follows a logical sequence that preserves meaningPartial
Our tool navigates through interactive elements using Tab and checks whether the order makes sense — for example, left-to-right and top-to-bottom for a typical page layout. It catches focus jumping to unrelated sections or moving in a confusing sequence. What still needs manual review: pages with complex multi-column layouts where the "correct" order is a matter of judgment, and right-to-left language pages where the expected flow is reversed.
- Dynamic content (modals, menus) manages focus correctlyNot covered
When a modal opens, focus should move into it and stay trapped there until it is dismissed; when it closes, focus should return to where the user was. Our tool checks the general Tab order on the static page but does not test focus management within modals, dropdown menus, or other content that appears dynamically. This requires manual testing with keyboard-only navigation.
- Focus order allows users to complete all interactive tasksNot covered
Whether users can complete tasks (like filling out a multi-step form) in a functional order requires actually attempting those workflows. Our tool observes the Tab sequence but does not test task completion. A person should verify that dependent controls appear in the right order for each workflow.
How reliable it is
This criterion performs well against expert review. Treat its findings as strong leads and confirm before remediating. See Accuracy & confidence for how the confidence tags are set.