Blog / Is input type=”date” ready for use in accessible websites?
Is input type=”date” ready for use in accessible websites?
HTML5 introduced a series of new input types for use in forms. One of these – input type=”date” – was intended to simplify the collection of dates, and to reduce user errors whilst doing so.
So in the 10 years since the proposed introduction of this element, is it well supported in browsers? And, for users of assistive technologies, and those who rely on keyboard interaction, does using it help make forms more accessible?
This article takes input type=”date” for a test drive with a selection of browsers and assistive technologies to see how usable the control is in early 2019.
Stop Press: If you like what you read in this article, and want more, check out our new accessibility courses for Web Developers, where I can take you deeper into accessible web development.
How input type=”date” is used
The simplest implementation of the element is just to declare the input type as date. A properly marked up label or prompt for the field should be provided so that screen reader users understand what the field [...]