WCAG 2.1 · Level A · Operable
WCAG 2.2.1 — Timing Adjustable, explained with examples
For each time limit set by the content, the user must be able to turn it off, adjust it, or extend it. Banking and government forms commonly time out aggressively. Without warning and a way to extend, users with cognitive disabilities or motor impairments lose work.
- Number
- 2.2.1
- Level
- A
- Principle
- Operable
- Guideline
- 2.2 Enough Time
Why this criterion exists
Banking and government forms commonly time out aggressively. Without warning and a way to extend, users with cognitive disabilities or motor impairments lose work.
If you only remember one thing: for each time limit set by the content, the user must be able to turn it off, adjust it, or extend it. Everything else on this page is detail.
Who feels it when this fails
Accessibility criteria sometimes feel abstract until you see who pays the cost when a site ignores them. Timing Adjustable affects:
Cognitive accessibility
Motor accessibility
Older users
How sites typically fail it
These are the patterns we see week after week. None are intentional — they are accidents of how teams build interfaces under deadline. Knowing the failure modes is the fastest path to writing them out of your component library.
Banking sessions timing out at 5 minutes with no warning
How to test for it
Trigger every time limit; verify warning + extension or off-switch.
Automated scanners catch this criterion most of the time, but never all of the time. Manual testing with the keyboard and a screen reader closes the gap.
A code fix you can copy
Always warn before timeout and provide an extension button.
The problem
setTimeout(() => location.href = '/logout', 300000);The fix
// At t=4 min: warn user with countdown; offer "Stay signed in"
// At t=5 min: log out only if no extension requested.Always warn before timeout and provide an extension button.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum warning window before a session timeout?
WCAG 2.2.1 does not specify a minimum warning window, but the spirit of the criterion requires enough time for a user with a cognitive or motor disability to respond. 20 seconds of warning before a 5-minute timeout is inadequate. Industry practice is to warn at the 80% mark (at 4 minutes into a 5-minute session) and offer at least 20 additional minutes if the user clicks "Stay signed in".
Are there exceptions to 2.2.1?
Yes. Exceptions include real-time events where a time limit is essential (a live auction), situations where the time limit is longer than 20 hours, and security timeouts where authentication state cannot be extended. Banking sessions that expire after 10–15 minutes of inactivity for fraud prevention technically qualify as security exceptions — but even then, a polite warning before expiry is best practice.
Other Operable criteria
2.1.1 Keyboard
Operable · Level A
2.1.2 No Keyboard Trap
Operable · Level A
2.4.3 Focus Order
Operable · Level A
2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)
Operable · Level A
All WCAG 2.1 criteria
Browse the full index by principle
Complete WCAG 2.1 guide
POUR principles, conformance levels, legal requirements
How to fix: session timeouts without warning
Fix recipe · 2.2.1
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