Goal
Help users fill in forms by enabling browsers and assistive technologies to auto-fill fields based on purpose.
Success Criterion · WCAG 1.3.5
Identify Input Purpose
The purpose of each input field collecting information about the user can be programmatically determined when the input field serves a purpose identified in the Input Purposes for User Interface Components section and the content is implemented using technologies with support for identifying the expected meaning for form input data.
Level AAWCAG 2.1Perceivable1.3 · Adaptable
Copy button ready
What to do
Use autocomplete attributes to identify the purpose of common input fields.
Why it matters
Users with cognitive or motor disabilities benefit from auto-fill, reducing errors and effort.
Success criterion
What WCAG 1.3.5 requires
Summarized directly from the official Understanding document so teams can quote the requirement accurately.
The purpose of each input field collecting information about the user can be programmatically determined when: The input field serves a purpose identified in the Input Purposes for User Interface Components section; and The content is implemented using technologies with support for identifying the expected meaning for form input data.
Intent
Why WCAG created this requirement
- The autocomplete attribute identifies what type of personal information a field collects.
- Browsers and assistive technologies use this to auto-fill fields from stored user data.
- This reduces cognitive load, typing effort, and errors for users filling out forms.
- Personalization tools can add icons (📧 for email, 📞 for phone) to help users identify fields.
Benefits
Who gains when you pass
- Users with cognitive disabilities benefit from auto-fill reducing memory and decision-making burden.
- Users with motor impairments benefit from reduced typing requirements.
- Users with dyslexia reduce spelling errors when fields are auto-filled.
- Users with tremors or limited dexterity complete forms more easily.
- Users who rely on personalization tools get enhanced field identification.
- All users save time with auto-filled personal information.
Why it matters
User impact when this criterion fails
Summaries drawn from the Understanding document help you socialize impact statements with product stakeholders.
Without autocomplete, users must manually type all personal information every time.
Users with cognitive disabilities may struggle to remember what information goes in each field.
Users with motor impairments face unnecessary typing effort.
Personalization tools cannot enhance fields without autocomplete attributes.
Users make more errors when manually entering common information.
Overview
Input fields that collect personal information about the user (name, email, phone, address, etc.) must identify their purpose using the HTML autocomplete attribute. This allows browsers, password managers, and assistive technologies to auto-fill these fields, reducing the cognitive and motor effort required to complete forms. It also enables personalization tools to add icons or labels to help users understand what information is requested.
- Use the autocomplete attribute with values from the WCAG Input Purposes list.
- Common values: name, email, tel, street-address, postal-code, cc-number, etc.
- This applies to fields collecting user data, not fields for other purposes (search, data entry).
- The HTML technology supports autocomplete; custom form implementations must also support it.
- This criterion works with 1.3.1 to ensure fields have both labels and purpose identification.
Reference: All summaries and highlights originate from Understanding WCAG 1.3.5 and the W3C quick reference.
Fast facts
- Conformance level
- Level AA
- WCAG version introduced
- WCAG 2.1
- Principle
- Perceivable
- Guideline
- 1.3 · Adaptable
Examples
Make success tangible for teams
Share pass/fail snapshots to coach designers, engineers, QA, and content authors.
Name fields
Pass
<input type="text" autocomplete="given-name" name="firstName"><input type="text" autocomplete="family-name" name="lastName">
Fail
<input type="text" name="firstName"><input type="text" name="lastName"> (No autocomplete attributes)
Email field
Pass
<input type="email" autocomplete="email" id="userEmail">
Fail
<input type="email" autocomplete="off" id="userEmail"> (Autocomplete disabled)
Address fields
Pass
<input autocomplete="street-address"><input autocomplete="address-level2"><input autocomplete="postal-code">
Fail
<input name="addr1"><input name="city"><input name="zip"> (No autocomplete)
Credit card
Pass
<input autocomplete="cc-number"><input autocomplete="cc-exp"><input autocomplete="cc-csc">
Fail
Credit card fields without autocomplete, requiring manual entry every time.
Evidence to keep
Document conformance decisions
Capture artifacts for VPATs, procurement reviews, and regression testing.
- Create a reference table mapping form fields to appropriate autocomplete values.
- Document the standard autocomplete values used across the site.
- Include autocomplete requirements in form development guidelines.
- List any fields where autocomplete is intentionally disabled with justification.
Official resources
Deep dives and supporting material
Keep these links handy when writing acceptance criteria or responding to audits.
Understanding 1.3.5
Official W3C interpretation, techniques, and intent for Identify Input Purpose.
Quick Reference 1.3.5
Filterable list of sufficient techniques and failures.
Input Purposes List
Complete list of standard autocomplete values for user input fields.
Technique H98
Using HTML 5.2 autocomplete attributes.
MDN: HTML autocomplete
Complete reference for autocomplete attribute values.
Implementation checklist
Capture progress and blockers
- Identify all input fields that collect personal information about the user.
- Add appropriate autocomplete attribute values from the standard list.
- Use autocomplete="name" for full name, "given-name" for first name, "family-name" for last name.
- Use autocomplete="email" for email addresses, "tel" for phone numbers.
- Use autocomplete="street-address" (or address-line1/2), "postal-code", "country" for addresses.
- Use autocomplete="cc-number", "cc-exp", "cc-csc" for credit card fields.
- Test that browsers correctly auto-fill fields based on the autocomplete values.
- Do not disable autocomplete on fields where it would benefit users.
Testing ideas
Prove conformance with evidence
- Inspect form inputs to verify autocomplete attributes are present on personal information fields.
- Verify autocomplete values match the type of data expected in each field.
- Test in a browser with saved personal information to verify auto-fill works correctly.
- Check that autocomplete is not disabled (autocomplete="off") on fields that should support it.
- Use accessibility testing tools that check for missing autocomplete attributes.
- Test with assistive technologies that use autocomplete for field identification.
Related success criteria