dotnet / dotnet/wpf

KeyboardFocus should be visually clearly indicated for better user experience, which is in Aero but Fluent regresses

Open
#11,054 0 comments 2 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Win 11 Theming
Dominant language
C#
Stars
7.7k
Forks
1.3k
Avg merge
1d 11h
Merged PRs (30d)
61

Description

### Summary

In recent WPF themes (e.g., Fluent), `KeyboardFocus` may be present but not visually indicated. This is a regression from older themes like Aero and Classic, which provided clear, predictable focus feedback.

### Why this is a design flaw

- Users cannot determine which control will respond to the next key press.
- Aero provided a clear visual indicator via `FocusVisualStyle` and animation.
- Fluent omits this, leading to ambiguity and reduced accessibility.

### Suggested Resolution

- Reinstate visual feedback for `KeyboardFocus` in default templates.
- Use `FocusVisualStyle` or `IsKeyboardFocused` triggers to provide consistent feedback.

### Philosophical Note

A UI that accepts input without revealing its focus state violates the principle of explicit responsibility modeling. Aero got this right. Fluent regressed.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Assessment

This issue has not been assessed yet.

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.