Pop-up Windows -- Do's and Dont's

See also: Standard 18 -- Links.

Why: Links that open in new windows can be extremely disorienting to users of assistive technology. These links break the "BACK" and "HISTORY" list. Screen readers may or may not indicate a new window has opened, causing links to appear "dead" -- e.g., nothing appears to happen when the link is activated because new window opens without notice.

How: Carefully consider when to use links that open in new windows. Generally, there is little advantage to forcing users to keep your site in an open window unless you are certain they will need to return to your site after viewing other pages (e.g. when leaving a form to get more information on required inputs, users may then be expected to return to the form page without the form being reloaded and entered data being cleared). Identify any links that open in a new window using a referenced symbol or plain text.

Example:

Find out more information about this topic*.
Find out more information about this topic (opens in new window).
Note: Links with an asterisk open in a new window.

Get more help with pop-up windows (including a useful work-around), visit Sitepoint's "New-Window Links in a Standards-Compliant World" by Kevin Yank.

Back Next

Top of Page || Return to Index
View/Print in PDF format. (Acrobat Reader required.)