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2.5.1 Pointer Gestures (Level A)

Decorative shape at the bottom of the section

Provide a single activation point alternative to complex touch activation, for example swiping, pinching, etc.

What you need to know

  • Alternatives to potentially complex finger motions on touch screens improve accessibility.
  • More complex finger movements do not need to be removed, only alternatives are required to satisfy this success criterion.

What you need to do

  • Touch screen gestures like swiping or pinching might be difficult for some users so provide a simpler way to accomplish the same objective. The way to do this is by providing two buttons, one indicating yes and another indicating no that only need to be tapped to create the desired effect without the swipe.
  • For anything on your website or app that calls for a user to use two or more fingers, to move their finger or (mouse) pointer in a specific direction, or anything along those lines, make an easier alternative available such as single-click (or tap), double-click (or tap), or click and hold. For example, think of how we can pinch to zoom.  An alternative could be to provide a way to tap to incrementally increase browser size.

Reference

Read the full explanation of success criterion 2.5.1 on W3.org.

Related Resource

Check out “Design controls for easy operation” from Harvard University – Digital Accessibility for more information about this success criterion.