Re: Show/hide toggle to reveal masked password

On 11/07/2022 15:59, Lisa Spirko wrote:
[...]
> Most password fields use masking characters, and without this toggle, 
> screen readers read the masking characters (“star star star star…”), not 
> the actual characters being typed. This seems to me to be a significant, 
> severe accessibility issue because screen reader users are unable to 
> confirm that the password they’re entering is correct.

Noting that the experience is no different for a 
sighted/non-screen-reader user here too.

> Essentially, this 
> issue renders the entire system inaccessible because the screen reader 
> user cannot even access it.

And yet, screen reader users have been managing the same way that 
non-screen reader users have with these. Yes, having a show/hide toggle 
can be useful for all users, but not having one is not a showstopper for 
SR or non-SR users either.

SC 3.3.7 Accessible Authentication in the upcoming WCAG 2.2 aims to 
partially address this by, at the very least, making sure that those 
password fields can be filled/work with password managers, or at least 
allow pasting. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#accessible-authentication

P
-- 
Patrick H. Lauke

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Received on Monday, 11 July 2022 20:15:46 UTC