Level AAWCAG 2.1

1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose

The purpose of each input field that collects information about the user can be programmatically determined.

Last reviewed: September 9, 2026

Understanding 1.3.5

This criterion helps users with cognitive disabilities, who may struggle to fill out unfamiliar or complex forms, by letting browsers and assistive tools recognize common fields (like name, email, or address) and offer autofill or personalized symbols/icons. It relies on standard HTML autocomplete tokens so user agents can identify the purpose of a field independent of its visible label or surrounding language.

How to Meet It

Add the appropriate autocomplete attribute value from the HTML specification's list of recognized tokens (e.g., "name", "email", "tel", "street-address", "cc-number") to input fields that collect information about the user. This works alongside a normal, visible label; it doesn't replace it.

Code Examples

INCORRECT

<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email">

CORRECT

<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" autocomplete="email">

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this only apply to e-commerce checkout forms?

No, it applies to any input collecting information about the user (name, contact details, address, payment info) anywhere on your site: account settings, sign-up forms, checkout, and more.

Is autocomplete a replacement for a visible label?

No. The autocomplete attribute supplements the label by giving user agents and assistive technology a standardized way to identify the field's purpose; a visible, associated label is still required by other criteria like 3.3.2.

Related Success Criteria

1.3.1 Info and Relationships 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics 1.3.4 Orientation

Quick Facts

Criterion1.3.5
LevelAA
IntroducedWCAG 2.1

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