Can you tab through all radio buttons?

You can cite the W3C as your source, here and here.

Essentially a radio button is a group that functions as a single element since it retains only a single value. Tabbing to a radio group will bring you to the first item and then using the arrow keys you navigate within the group.

  • Focus can move to a radio group via:
    • The Tab key
    • An Access Key or mnemonic targeting the label
    • Activation of the label (through Assistive Technology mechanism)
  • The Tab key moves focus between radio button
    groups and other widgets.
  • When focus is on the group and
    when no radio button is selected:

    • Tab key press moves focus
      to the first radio button in the group, but does not select the radio
      button.
    • Shift+Tab key press moves focus to the last radio
      button in the group, but does not select the radio button.
  • When focus moves to the group in which a radio button is
    selected, pressing Tab and Shift+Tab keys move focus to the radio
    button that is checked.
  • Up Arrow and Down Arrow keys move
    focus and selection.

    • Up Arrow key press moves focus and
      selection forward through the radio buttons in the group. If the first
      radio button has focus, then focus and selection move to the last
      radio button in the group.
    • Down Arrow key press moves focus
      and selection backward through the radio buttons in the group. If the
      last radio button has focus, then focus and selection move to the
      first radio button in the group. * Space Bar key press checks the
      radio button that currently has focus.
  • When
    re-entering the group, focus returns to the point of previous focus
    (the item with selection set).
  • Pressing the Tab key exits
    the group and moves focus to the next form control.
  • Pressing
    the Shift+Tab keys exits the group and moves focus to the previous
    form control.

Leave a Comment