Make password visibility understandable and reversible

What to change

Where the website has accounts, request a clearly labelled visibility control whose purpose and current state are understandable using sight, keyboard or assistive technology.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A visitor reveals a password to check one mistyped character, then hides it again. Both actions work without restarting entry or losing the registration details.

How to check the result

Accept when revealing and hiding are deliberate, reversible actions with clear state, and submission still uses the exact entered value.

A mistake to avoid

A changing eye icon alone does not explain the action to everyone, especially when its visual meaning is unfamiliar.

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 recordEnter a fictional password and activate the visibility control. Check that the entered value stays unchanged, the cursor remains useful and the control explains how to hide it.Use a keyboard to reach and activate the same control. Ask the supplier to demonstrate the label and state announced by a screen reader.Move between password and confirmation fields if both exist. Confirm each visibility setting affects the intended field and does not unexpectedly submit the registration form.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

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