ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE DESIGN TIP: Always Include a Skip Navigation Link

Get the Code Screen

FAIL: The inability to skip repetitive links (such as a navigation menu) can be a problem for those with mobility disabilities who use the keyboard to navigate instead of a mouse.

SOLUTION: Add a simple hyperlink at the very beginning of your HTML page that allows keyboard users to skip to the main section of page content:

Accessible Web Design Tip: Add a Skip to Main Content Link

<a class=”skiptomain” href=”#main-content”>To Skip to Main Content – Press Enter</a>

To prevent sighted users from seeing the Skip to Main Content – Press Enter link at the top of the page, add these declarations to your CSS file:

.skiptomain {
position: absolute;
top: -1000px;
left: -1000px;
height: 1px;
width: 1px;
text-align: left;
overflow: hidden;
}
a.skiptomain:active,
a.skiptomain:focus,
a.skiptomain:hover {
left: 0;
top: 0;
width: auto;
height: auto;
overflow: visible;
}

This will position the Skip to main content link 1000px off the screen for sighted users, without hiding it from screen readers. When keyboard users hit the tab key the first time, the link will receive focus and be visible at the top left corner of the page.

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WCAG 2.1: 118 checkpoints covering A, AA and AAA W3 accessibility guidelines
Section 508: 15 US federal guidelines covered by 55 accessibility checkpoints

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