Research & Innovation | Widener University

Faculty Mentorship | Widener University

Leadership Development | Widener University

Widener University | Leading Private Tri-State University

Graduate & Law Degree Programs | Widener University

High School Programs | Widener University

First time visit: View without clicking anything

Career Inside Track | Widener University

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

December 2025

November 2025

Widener University

	Title / URL	Issues
	Research & Innovation \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/why-widener/research-innovation	2
	Faculty Mentorship \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/why-widener/faculty-mentorship	2
	Leadership Development \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/why-widener/leadership-development	2
	Widener University \| Leading Private Tri-State Universitywww.widener.edu/	2
	Graduate & Law Degree Programs \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/academics/graduate-studies	2
	High School Programs \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/high-school-programs	2
	First time visit: View without clicking anythingwww.widener.edu/	2
	Career Inside Track \| Widener Universitywww.widener.edu/why-widener/career-inside-track	2

Ensure form controls have labels

Widener University

Where this issue has occurred