Published October 9, 2026

WCAG 2.4.7 Focus Visible, Level AA

Does WCAG require a visible focus indicator?

Yes. Success criterion 2.4.7 Focus Visible is Level AA. Any keyboard operable user interface needs a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible. The criterion does not name a color, a thickness, or the browser’s default outline. It requires that a person can see which control has keyboard focus. The text is in the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation.

What does a visible focus indicator show?

It shows which link, button, or field will receive the next keypress. Without that, a sighted person who uses the keyboard cannot tell where they are on the page. The W3C explanation is in Understanding Success Criterion 2.4.7. The indicator has to stay visible while that control has focus. A flash that disappears is not enough. Reaching the control from the keyboard is a separate check, covered on the keyboard access page. The sequence of those stops has to preserve meaning under 2.4.3, covered on the focus order page. A skip link that moves focus is covered on the skip links page.

When does removing the outline fail?

Many style sheets set outline: none on focus. That fails 2.4.7 when no other visible change remains. The documented failure is technique F78. A replacement can meet the criterion:

• The browser or platform default indicator, left in place.
• An author-supplied outline, border, or background that stays visible on keyboard focus.
• A style on :focus-visible, so the indicator appears for keyboard focus. The style still has to be visible against the control and the page around it.

Does a hover style replace the focus indicator?

No. Hover follows the pointer. Keyboard focus follows Tab and the arrow keys. A change that appears only on hover leaves a keyboard user without a location. The same control can have both styles. Only the keyboard style satisfies 2.4.7. The Understanding document also notes that a focus indicator is visual information used to identify a state, so it is subject to 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast, a 3:1 ratio against adjacent colors. The full answer is on the non-text contrast page. Text contrast is a different criterion, covered on the color contrast page.

What does WCAG 2.2 add about focus?

WCAG 2.2 adds 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) at Level AA. When a component receives keyboard focus, author-created content must not hide it entirely. A sticky header or a cookie banner that covers the focused control is the usual case. That rule is explained on the focus not obscured page. The text is in the WCAG 2.2 Recommendation. Criterion 2.4.13 Focus Appearance is Level AAA. It gives extra rules for the size and contrast of the indicator. Level AA does not require 2.4.13. Which version a contract should name is on the WCAG 2.1 vs 2.2 page.

Does the Title II web rule include focus visible?

Yes. The Department of Justice rule for state and local government websites names WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That level includes 2.4.7. It does not include 2.4.11, which was added in WCAG 2.2. Who must comply, and the April 2027 and April 2028 dates, are on the Title II web rule page. A scanner can report a missing outline. It often cannot tell whether a custom ring is visible on the real background, or whether a sticky bar covers the focused control. Those checks are done by a person, which is why a passing score is not conformance, as covered on the scanner page. The fix belongs in the site’s styles, which is remediation.