Itqualityassurance
- Should a disabled button be clickable?
- Why you shouldn't use disabled buttons?
- Is it OK to GREY out disabled buttons?
- Do screen readers read disabled buttons?
Should a disabled button be clickable?
A disabled button is unusable and un-clickable. The disabled attribute can be set to keep a user from clicking on the button until some other condition has been met (like selecting a checkbox, etc.).
Why you shouldn't use disabled buttons?
Bad accessibility
Grey buttons with gray labels can easily fail to meet color contrast recommendations for text. Sometimes disabled buttons are designed in a way that they cannot be read by a screen reader (buttons are not focusable, and hence users can't reach them with a keyboard).
Is it OK to GREY out disabled buttons?
For a smooth and seamless experience, it's best to avoid graying out your disabled buttons. Instead, you should decrease the opacity to make it transparent. When the disabled button is transparent, users can see some semblance of the button in its enabled state.
Do screen readers read disabled buttons?
Screen readers ignore disabled controls, so screen reader users won't hear the message. Add some nearby visible help text for the button. This would work for sighted users, but not necessarily for low vision users or blind users using a screen reader.
