Refreshes and redirects need to wait for the user

• Rule: axe/meta-refresh
• Checks: Delayed refresh under 20 hours must not be used
• WCAG: 2.2.1
• Fix class: mechanical: A fix needs no authored text or visual decision.

Who it affects

• People who use a screen reader or a braille display, most of them blind.
• People with cognitive, learning or attention disabilities.
• People who use a keyboard or a switch device instead of a mouse.

How to fix it

The meta tag redirects to another page after a delay

Redirect on the server with an HTTP redirect status, such as 301, so no interim page is shown. If only HTML is available, redirect at once with a delay of 0, and link to the new address in the page body.

<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0; url=/pricing">

The meta tag reloads the page to show fresh content

Remove it. Update the content in place with script, and give people a control to pause the updates, or a button to refresh when they choose.

The meta tag ends a session after a set time

Replace it with script that warns people before the session ends and lets them extend it with a simple action, such as a button. Give them at least 20 seconds to respond, and allow at least ten extensions.

Fixes that fail

Replacing the meta tag with a script timer that reloads the page

axe no longer sees it, but a reload people cannot turn off, adjust or extend still takes their place and unsaved input, which fails WCAG 2.2.1.

Raising the delay past 20 hours to pass the rule

This rule exempts such long delays, but the refresh still interrupts anyone who leaves the page open, and axe reports it under meta-refresh-no-exceptions.

More on the rule

axe-core’s documentation of the rule

CORA’s fix guidance adapts content from accessibility-agents, under the MIT License: see its notice.