FastPass in Accessibility Insights for Windows

What is FastPass?

FastPass is a lightweight, two-step process that helps developers identify common, high-impact accessibility issues in less than five minutes.

1. Automated checks - the tool automatically checks for compliance with dozens of accessibility rules.
2. Manual test for tab stops - the tool provides clear instructions and a visual helper that makes it easy to identify critical accessibility issues related to keyboard access, such as missing tab stops, keyboard traps, and incorrect tab order.

We recommend developers run a FastPass before every check-in of UI code.

Note: Completing a FastPass requires you to use standard keyboard commands and to visually identify interactive interface elements.

How to complete a FastPass

Get ready to test

1. Open Accessibility Insights for Windows.
2. In the command bar, for What to select, choose Entire app.
3. Open the application you want to test (aka the target application).

Complete the automated checks

1. Run the automated checks:

   • Hover your mouse over the target application window, then click the test beaker icon that appears in the upper right corner.

   or

   • Press Alt+Tab to switch to the target application window, then press Shift+F8.

   A screenshot of the app will open in a new window directly over the app, and individual failure instances will be highlighted in the screenshot. Failed rules and failure instances will also appear in Accessibility Insights for Windows in a tree grid. Where applicable, Framework specific failed rules and failure instances will appear in a separate tree grid.

   

2. Review failure details:

   • Click a failure icon (white exclamation on red background) in the application screenshot.

   or

   • Use these keyboard commands:

     1. Press the Tab key to navigate to the Automated checks tree grid.
     2. Press the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate to a rule.
     3. Press the Right arrow key to expand the rule.
     4. Press the Right arrow key to navigate to the Element path link.
     5. Press the Space or Enter key to activate the link.

   A new view will open in Accessibility Insights for Windows. The view includes the UIA Tree and a set of tabs: Details and How to fix.

   The How to fix tab is selected by default. It's divided into two regions:

   • Test results contains a selectable list of rules failed by the element selected in the UIA Tree. Framework specific list of rules will be displayed in a separate table below the test results.
   • Fix the following contains instructions for fixing the failure selected under Test results.

   

3. Review failure details for a different instance:

   • To select an element in the UIA Tree:

     • Click a failing element in the UIA Tree. (You might need to expand a node by clicking its arrow icon.)

     or

     • Use these keyboard commands:

       1. Press the Tab key to navigate to the UIA Tree.
       2. Press the Up and Down arrow keys to select a failing element. (If needed, press the Right arrow key to expand a node.)

   or

   • To return to the Automated Checks tree grid:

     • Click Tests in the breadcrumb or in the main navigation bar.

     or

     • Press Ctrl+T.

4. If you're a developer, we recommend fixing the automated check failures before proceeding to the next part of the FastPass.

Complete the manual test for tab stops

1. Be sure you are in the Tests view.

2. Go to the Tab stops test:

   • Click Tab Stops in the navigation pane.

   or

   • Use these keyboard commands:

     1. Press Tab until you reach the Automated checks tab.
     2. Use the Down arrow key to select the Tab stops tab.

   

3. Make sure your target app is in the state you want to test.

4. Start recording tab stops:

   • Click the Record tab stops toggle.

   or

   • Press Shift+F7.

   Input focus will move automatically to the target application.

   

5. Use standard keyboard commands to move input focus through all the interactive elements in the page.

   • Use Tab and Shift+Tab to navigate between controls.
   • Use the arrow keys to navigate between the focusable elements within a composite control, such as the items in a menu.

   In the target app, numbered circles will appear on elements that receive input focus. A list of those elements will also appear in a grid in Accessibility Insights for Windows.

   

6. As you navigate to each element, look for these accessibility problems:

   • An interactive element can't be reached using the Tab or arrow keys.
   • An interactive element "traps" input focus and prevents navigating away.
   • An interactive element doesn't give a visible indication when it has input focus.
   • The focus order is inconsistent with the logical order that's communicated visually.
   • Input focus moves unexpectedly without the user initiating it.

7. Stop recording when you have navigated to every element within your test scope.

When you've completed the tab stops test, your FastPass is complete.