RE: Tooltips and SC 4.1.3

I guess it depends on whether a 'hint' qualifies as a status message.

 

By the glossary definition of 'status message', it doesn't appear so.

 

And assuming that a screen reader can 'get to' the tooltip because it is the
next item in the DOM?

 

Changes of context initiated by user action are not covered by any WCAG 2.2
success criterion that I am aware of.

 

I'd be tempted to fail it under 1.3.1 myself.

 

 

 

From: wolfgang.berndorfer@zweiterblick.at
<wolfgang.berndorfer@zweiterblick.at> 
Sent: Monday, June 1, 2026 8:54 PM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Tooltips and SC 4.1.3

 

Hi,

 

An input-field displays a popup-hint on focus with role=tooltip.

The hint is not referenced with aria-describedby.

Thus, when tabbing to the input-field, a screen reader  doesn't announce the
hint.

Pressing Arrow-Down, the hint is announced.

 

Is this a failure of 4.1.3 (status messages)?

Understanding 4.1.3 does not mention tooltips explicitly.

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/status-messages.html 

 

Or is this a change of content according to SC 3.2.1 On Focus? 

https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#dfn-change-of-context

 

Or is it *just an usability problem or poor design*?

 

SC 1.4.13 Content on Hover or Focus covers other issues

 

Thanks for clarification!

 

Wolfgang