Are Drag and Drop functions allowed by WCAG?

Drag and drop components can be a convenient way for mouse users to add or move content around a site. However, these functions can be an issue for keyboard-only users if they aren't accessible.

Before WCAG 2.2 was released, there were no success criteria specifically for drag and drop functions. Drag and drop components need to pass 2.1.1 Keyboard; there must be equivalent usage with keyboard-only for these components.

In WCAG 2.2, there is a new success criteria called 2.5.7 Dragging Movements that give specific guidance for these components. W3C defines the success criteria as the following:

"All functionality that uses a dragging movement for operation can be achieved by a single pointer without dragging..." (2.5.7 Dragging Movements)

This means drag and drop components must be able to be used with singular mouse or keyboard clicks. One example would be a taskboard. Users should be able to click a draggable item and click again to move it to a new location.

For more guidance about drag and drop components, reach out to our team of web accessibility specialists for one-on-one advice!