This is practical accessibility guidance for first-pass triage. It is not legal advice, a formal audit, WCAG certification, or a conformance guarantee.

What this means

A form field uses aria-invalid but does not appear to have an error message connected through aria-describedby.

Why it matters

When a field has an error, users need the error message to be programmatically connected so assistive technology can announce it.

How to fix it

  • Add aria-describedby pointing to the error message element id.
  • Place the error text in a container with a matching id.
  • Make the error message visible and near the field, not only in a general error summary.

What automated checks can detect

A checker can detect fields with aria-invalid that lack an aria-describedby reference.

What still needs manual review

Test that error messages are announced by screen readers, are understandable, and explain how to fix the problem.

Automation cannot judge whether the error message text is actually helpful or whether validation works correctly in all input states.

Related tools and guides