UIdaho stories and news | University of Idaho

Find your major, earn your degree | University of Idaho

Home | University of Idaho

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Office of Alumni Relations | University of Idaho

Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) | University of Idaho

Career Services | University of Idaho

Student resources | University of Idaho

404 | University of Idaho

Events calendar | University of Idaho

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

November 2025

October 2025

University of Idaho

	Title / URL	Issues
	UIdaho stories and news \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/newsroom	36
	Find your major, earn your degree \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/academics/degree-finder	24
	Home \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/	2
	First time visit: View without clicking anythingwww.uidaho.edu/	2
	Office of Alumni Relations \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/alumni	1
	Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/research	1
	Career Services \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/career-services	1
	Student resources \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/student-resources	1
	404 \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/invented-url-for-404-page	1
	Events calendar \| University of Idahowww.uidaho.edu/events	1

Ensure form controls have labels

University of Idaho

Where this issue has occurred