Wivenhoe Park | University of Essex

Tags | Blog | University of Essex

Blog | University of Essex

Campus Tours | University of Essex

Student Advice, Careers and Campus Life | Blog | University of Essex

Podcasts | Blog | University of Essex

Locations | Blog | University of Essex

Loughton Campus | University of Essex

Colchester Campus | University of Essex

Staff | Blog | University of Essex

People using screen readers are not able to see the layout of a form. To make forms
accessible, they must define explicit text labels for each form control. 

Usually the best solution is to use a `<label>` element. The label may be linked to 
by the form control:

```html
<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">
```

or the `<label>` can be wrapped around the form control:

```html
<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>
```

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

```html
<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>
```

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as `aria-label` may be used, but this information
will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see [W3C's guide to labeling controls](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/).

Hidden input fields (`<input type="hidden">`) do not require labels.
Note that the `placeholder` attribute 
[should not be used as an alternative to a label](https://www.w3.org/TR/html/sec-forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute),
nor should the `title` attribute.

## Custom roles

Note that this check considers the underlying accessible role of an element, which can be 
different from the tag itself.

For example, this `<div>` has a `role` of `button`, and so is expected to have a label, like
a button would.

```html
<div role="button"></div>
```

form-control-labels

University of Essex

	Title / URL	Issues
	Wivenhoe Park \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/wivenhoe-park	5
	Tags \| Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog/tags	2
	Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog	2
	Campus Tours \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/visit-us/campus-tours	2
	Student Advice, Careers and Campus Life \| Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog/student	2
	Podcasts \| Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog/categories/podcast	2
	Locations \| Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog/post-map	2
	Loughton Campus \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/life/loughton-campus	2
	Colchester Campus \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/life/colchester-campus	2
	Staff \| Blog \| University of Essexwww.essex.ac.uk/blog/staff	2

Ensure form controls have labels

University of Essex

Where this issue has occurred