Check your website without using a mouse
A keyboard-only check can reveal barriers that are easy to miss when you use a mouse. Try moving through the page, opening navigation and reaching the main contact route. This is a useful first review, not a complete accessibility audit or a claim that the website meets a standard.
Before you start
- Choose a normal public page and a customer task that does not require a real payment or booking.
- Check your browser and operating-system keyboard navigation settings if links are unexpectedly skipped everywhere.
What to do
Move through the controls
Put the mouse aside and use Tab to move forward and Shift with Tab to move back. Watch for a visible indicator showing the current control. Note places where you cannot tell what is selected or where the order seems unrelated to the page you can see.
Try the important interactions
Use Enter on ordinary links and the appropriate keyboard controls for buttons or menus. Check whether you can open and close navigation, reach the main action and return to the page. Do not activate a real purchase or contact submission just to complete the route.
Watch for hidden or trapped focus
If a dialog opens, check whether its controls are reachable and whether there is a keyboard way to close it. Look for focus disappearing behind an overlay or becoming stuck in a widget. Record the exact point rather than continuing with the mouse and marking the task successful.
Report the smallest reproducible problem
Write the page address, browser and keys used, then describe what you expected and what happened. A short screen recording can help if it contains no private information. Ask the editor or developer to confirm the cause and scope of a correction.
What to check
- You can follow the chosen route without switching back to the mouse.
- The selected control is visible and the navigation order is understandable.
- Any blocked step has a reproducible description for the person fixing it.
Sources and further reading
Platform features can change. Check the provider’s current guidance before changing a live service.