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Level AAAWCAG 2.0

2.2.4 Interruptions

Interruptions can be postponed or suppressed by the user, except interruptions involving an emergency.

Last reviewed: September 9, 2026

Understanding 2.2.4

Interruptions such as pop-up notifications, alerts, and automatic content updates can disrupt users with cognitive, memory, or attention-related disabilities, causing them to lose their place or train of thought. This criterion requires that users be able to postpone or suppress non-emergency interruptions, giving them control over when their focus and task flow are disrupted.

How to Meet It

Provide a setting to disable or defer non-essential notifications, live-update banners, and pop-ups. Queue notifications so users can review them on their own schedule instead of being forced to respond immediately, and avoid unexpected focus shifts or content changes during an in-progress task. Reserve uninterruptible alerts strictly for genuine emergencies, such as safety warnings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies as an 'emergency' exception?

Only interruptions involving a genuine emergency, such as a safety alert, critical system outage warning, or time-critical health or security notice, are exempt. Marketing pop-ups, chat invitations, and routine content updates do not qualify and must remain postponable or suppressible.

Does a live chat 'agent is typing' indicator violate this criterion?

Not by itself, since it doesn't forcibly redirect focus or interrupt the current task. 2.2.4 targets interruptions that disrupt what the user is actively doing, such as a modal stealing focus or content shifting unexpectedly, rather than passive status indicators.

Related Success Criteria

2.2.1 Timing Adjustable2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide2.2.3 No Timing2.2.5 Re-authenticating

Quick Facts

  • Criterion2.2.4
  • LevelAAA
  • IntroducedWCAG 2.0

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