WCAG 1.3.5 — Identify Input Purpose

Missing Autocomplete Attributes

What is this issue?

Missing autocomplete attributes on form fields that collect personal information represent a failure of WCAG Success Criterion 1.3.5 (Level AA). This criterion requires that the purpose of input fields collecting information about the user can be programmatically determined when the input has a known, standardized purpose. The HTML autocomplete attribute provides this programmatic identification, enabling browsers and assistive technologies to auto-fill fields, display appropriate icons, and present input-specific interfaces.

The autocomplete attribute accepts standardized tokens such as "name", "email", "tel", "street-address", "postal-code", "cc-number", and many others defined in the HTML specification. When these tokens are present, browsers can pre-fill form data from stored profiles, password managers can function correctly, and assistive technologies can announce the field's purpose to the user.

This issue is pervasive because many developers are unaware that autocomplete serves an accessibility purpose beyond convenience. Forms are often built without any autocomplete attributes, or with autocomplete="off" applied globally to prevent browsers from showing suggestions -- which also prevents assistive technology from identifying field purposes.

Impact on users

For users with cognitive disabilities, memory impairments, or motor disabilities, filling out forms is one of the most challenging web interactions. Autocomplete reduces this burden dramatically by allowing browsers to fill in known personal information with a single click or keystroke. Without autocomplete attributes, users must manually type every field, increasing both effort and the chance of errors.

Users with motor disabilities who rely on switch access or eye-tracking input particularly benefit from autocomplete, as every keystroke has a high physical cost. Auto-filling an entire address form from saved data can reduce interaction from dozens of switch activations to just one or two.

People with dyslexia benefit because they do not need to spell out complex words like street names or email addresses. Older users benefit because they may not remember their postal code or phone number format. The autocomplete attribute transforms forms from barriers into smooth interactions for these populations.

Code example

Before (non-compliant)

<form>
  <input type="text" name="fullname"
    placeholder="Full name">
  <input type="email" name="email"
    placeholder="Email address">
  <input type="tel" name="phone"
    placeholder="Phone number">
  <input type="text" name="address"
    placeholder="Street address">
  <input type="text" name="zip"
    placeholder="Postal code">
</form>

After (compliant)

<form>
  <label for="fullname">Full name</label>
  <input type="text" id="fullname" name="fullname"
    autocomplete="name">
  <label for="email">Email address</label>
  <input type="email" id="email" name="email"
    autocomplete="email">
  <label for="phone">Phone number</label>
  <input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone"
    autocomplete="tel">
  <label for="address">Street address</label>
  <input type="text" id="address" name="address"
    autocomplete="street-address">
  <label for="zip">Postal code</label>
  <input type="text" id="zip" name="zip"
    autocomplete="postal-code">
</form>

How Scrutia detects this issue

Scrutia inspects every form field on your pages and identifies those that collect common personal data (name, email, phone, address, payment information) but lack the appropriate autocomplete attribute. It matches field names, labels, and placeholders against known patterns and recommends the correct autocomplete token for each field.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which fields need autocomplete attributes?

Any field that collects information about the user should have an autocomplete attribute when the purpose matches one of the 53 standardized tokens in the HTML specification. This includes name, email, phone, address, date of birth, and payment fields.

Should I use autocomplete="off" to prevent suggestions?

Avoid autocomplete="off" on fields that collect personal information. Browsers often ignore it anyway. If you have a specific reason to disable autocomplete (e.g., a one-time code field), use autocomplete="one-time-code" instead to convey the correct purpose.

Does autocomplete help with password managers?

Yes. Password managers rely on autocomplete attributes to identify username and password fields. Using autocomplete="username" and autocomplete="current-password" or autocomplete="new-password" ensures password managers work correctly.

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