Rule library Forms

autocomplete attribute must be used correctly

autocomplete-validWCAG 2.1 AA

Ensure the autocomplete attribute is correct and suitable for the form field

Who this affects

An autocomplete attribute has an invalid value, so browsers and assistive tools cannot fill the field automatically.

How to fix it

Use a valid autocomplete token such as email, name or tel.

Effort Low · ~10 min

Where this sits in the standard

WCAG success criterionLevelEN 301 549 clause
1.3.5 Identify Input PurposeAA301-549, 9.1.3.5

EN 301 549 clause 9 applies these criteria to web content. The published version referenced by the European Accessibility Act is V3.2.1, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 level A and AA. More on the standard.

How to check it by hand

Click each field's visible label. If focus does not move into the field, the label is not bound to it. Then tab through the form with a screen reader running and confirm every field announces its own purpose, not just its type.

Automated testing settles roughly a third of the WCAG success criteria. This rule is one an automated tool detects reliably — but a clean automated result is not proof of conformance.

Reference

Deque's technical write-up for this rule: autocomplete-valid

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