Campus buildings | Ontario Tech University

Publications | Ontario Tech University

History | Ontario Tech University

University facts | Ontario Tech University

Our priorities | Ontario Tech University

Programs | Ontario Tech University

Graduate | Ontario Tech University

Ontario Tech Map

When selecting a user interface component with the keyboard, the focus indicator must 
not be completely obscured by anything in front of it.

## Why this matters

When using a keyboard, it is important that the user can see where they are on the page.
If the focus indicator is obscured, the user may not know where they are, and may not
be able to interact with the page.

## Examples

Most common examples include:

* Banners at the top or bottom of the page, such as cookie banners
* Fixed navigation bars
* Fixed footers
* Popup modals, such as cookie consent modals

## How to fix

With elements that cover part of the screen, such as cookie banners, ensure
that the user can scroll to see any content behind the banner, without having to close
the banner.

With popup modals, it should usually be impossible to focus anything behind the modal.
Most common modal frameworks will automatically trap focus within the modal, so that
this is impossible. Example: [Bootstrap Modal](https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.2/components/modal/#live-demo).

## Further reading

This is part of the draft WCAG 2.2 specification and is subject to change.

* [WCAG 2.4.12](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/focus-not-obscured.html)

ensure-focus-is-not-obscured-minimum

May 2025

April 2025

Ontario Tech University

Title / URL	Issues
Campus buildings \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/about/campus-buildings/index.php	70
Publications \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/about/publications/index.php	49
History \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/about/history/index.php	39
University facts \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/about/university-facts.php	36
Our priorities \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/about/priorities.php	36
Programs \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/future-students/programs/index.php	32
Graduate \| Ontario Tech Universityontariotechu.ca/future-students/graduate/index.php	32
Ontario Tech Mapontariotechu.ca/map/	3

Ensure focus is not fully obscured

Ontario Tech University

Where this issue has occurred