Keep embedded document viewers navigable by keyboard

What to change

Ask the supplier to test the embedded viewer as part of the complete page journey, including entering and leaving it.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor inspects an information leaflet in the embedded viewer, leaves its toolbar and reaches the separate Open document link without restarting navigation.

How to check the result

Accept when the viewer's useful controls are available and both entry and exit remain predictable through keyboard interaction.

A mistake to avoid

A working PDF file does not guarantee that the website's chosen embedded viewer provides an equally usable interaction.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to recordTab into the viewer, explore its page and zoom controls, then continue to the surrounding website. Repeat the route backwards with Shift and Tab.Ask the supplier to demonstrate the same task with a screen reader. The viewer should have a useful identity and its controls should expose their functions.Test a long document and a loading failure. Any alternative opening or download link should remain outside the potentially failing viewer.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

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