Show which button a keyboard user is about to activate

What to change

Ask the supplier to make the current keyboard position clearly visible on every button, including dark backgrounds and different button styles.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor can distinguish whether focus is on Book an appointment or Read service details even though both controls have similar dimensions and branding.

Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts. — Make the service and next step clear on every screen.

Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form. — Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.

Why this matters to your practice

For someone using a keyboard, a visible outline around the current button serves the purpose of a mouse pointer. Removing it for a cleaner design takes away essential orientation. Ask to see every button style in this state, including quiet secondary actions and small icons. Your role is to judge whether the current action is obvious against its actual background. The supplier should ensure the treatment is consistent and remains visible when a button sits inside a cropped panel.

How to check the result

Accept when the focused action is consistently identifiable throughout the journey and remains visible while its state changes.

A mistake to avoid

Removing browser outlines for visual consistency creates a usability gap unless an effective replacement is supplied.

Turn reading into a next step

Your action checklist

Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.

Checks to discussAsk your supplier to demonstrate this check with you: tab through primary, secondary, outlined and icon buttons on representative pages. Record controls whose focused appearance cannot be distinguished from surrounding elements.Check those controls on light, dark and image backgrounds. The indicator should remain perceptible without depending on a subtle colour shift alone.Activate each style from the keyboard and then return to it. Confirm disabled, busy and selected states do not erase the focus indicator.

Your answers and notes

Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.

What happens next, and who will do it?

Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.

Related guides

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