This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
Accessibility
What does the autocomplete attribute do for website forms?
The autocomplete attribute tells the browser what information a form field expects — such as an email address or a phone number. The browser can then automatically fill the field with the visitor's stored data. This helps especially people with motor or cognitive impairments who find typing difficult — and it speeds up your forms for all customers.
One word in the code that saves typing
When a visitor opens your contact form, their browser doesn't initially know what its fields are for. The autocomplete attribute changes that: if the email field carries the label "email", the browser offers the stored address with a single click. For most visitors, that's convenience. For people with tremors, paralysis, or concentration difficulties, it's the difference between a submitted and an abandoned form — every input avoided is one less source of error. Assistive tools can also read the label and, for example, add understandable icons to fields. The effort is minimal: one word in the code per field, added once by your agency.
How our measurement engine checks the input-purpose label
Our automated check collects the visible input fields on your page and compares field type and field name against the label. It deliberately judges cautiously here: only for clearly identifiable purposes — an email field, a phone field — does a missing label count as a documented violation, which the report backs up with the field name. Fields for names, addresses, or postal codes can mean something different depending on context — there, the report doesn't flag a violation but a case for human review. Search fields are excluded, since they're not about personal information. At the Gold Standard level, an auditor reviews the open cases and decides.
- Ask your agency to add the matching autocomplete label to every email and phone form field.
- Also add matching labels for name, address, and postal code where these fields ask for personal information.
- Test your contact form yourself: if the browser offers your stored data for filling it in, the label is working.
- Add the label to your form checklist so new forms carry it from the start.
- Keep forms short in general — every field you avoid helps more than any label.
FAQ
What is the autocomplete attribute?
A label in the code of a form field that tells the browser the field's purpose — such as "email" for the email address or "tel" for the phone number. The browser can then automatically fill the field with the visitor's stored data. Assistive tools use the same label for better presentation.
Who benefits from automatic form filling?
All visitors, but especially people with motor impairments such as tremors or paralysis, and people with concentration or memory difficulties. Every input the browser takes over is one less potential source of error and one less hurdle. As a side benefit, fewer customers abandon your forms — automatic filling speeds up every inquiry.
When does the check report a missing autocomplete label as an error?
Only for unambiguous fields: if the label is missing on a recognisable email or phone field, that's a documented violation. For name, address, and postal-code fields, the purpose can vary depending on context — the report marks these cases as a human check point, which an auditor decides at the Gold Standard level.