react / react/react-native

React-Native Accessibility Focus Order Issues

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Accessibility Issue: Author Provided Repro Platform: iOS Type: Enhancement
Dominant language
C++
Stars
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Forks
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Avg merge
1d 23h
Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

Description

We are performing Accessibility testing in our React native app in iOS using Xcode Accessibility Inspector. We found few issues in focus order during the testing.

The components are read from left to right and top to bottom by default. We are not able to change the focus order as the components are not read in meaningful order. It could be better if there is a prop to configure the focus order by default and also, it should work across multiple components shown in the same screen.
In the video, it should traverse Text 1, Text 2, Text 3, etc instead of the current flow.

Focus is not staying on the triggered elements when a Modal/Keyboard/Drodown is closed. Instead, it is moving to the top of the screen. Ideally, the focus should stay and continue from the same element.
In the video, it should return to 'Button' instead of reading from the top.

Steps to reproduce

Open Xcode accessibility inspector and try to inspect any RN iOS app.
The components are traversed left to right and top to bottom.
Open a modal using a button. Once the modal is closed, the focus is not returning to the triggered button. But it is reading from the first element of the screen.

React Native Version

0.77.1

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info
System:
  OS: macOS 15.3.1
  CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M1 Pro
  Memory: 130.42 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 20.9.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.9.0/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 10.9.0
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.9.0/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2024.05.06.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.15.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.2
      - iOS 18.2
      - macOS 15.2
      - tvOS 18.2
      - visionOS 2.2
      - watchOS 11.2
  Android SDK:
    Android NDK: 22.1.7171670
IDEs:
  Android Studio: Not Found
  Xcode:
    version: 16.2/16C5032a
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.11
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/openjdk@17/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.7.6
    path: /Users/kikumarm/.rbenv/shims/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 15.0.1
    wanted: 15.0.1
  react:
    installed: 18.3.1
    wanted: 18.3.1
  react-native:
    installed: 0.77.1
    wanted: 0.77.1
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
Stacktrace or Logs
N/A
Reproducer

https://github.com/KishoreKumar186/rn-awesome-project/

Screenshots and Videos

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/87393189-2a94-4da6-aa7a-b0e2c1700853

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the linked reproducer and inspect the reported behavior using Xcode Accessibility Inspector on iOS. Verify the expected Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 traversal and confirm that closing a modal, keyboard, or dropdown returns focus to the triggering element; the work is done when both behaviors are supported across the stated components.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
ios, react-native
Domain
accessibility, mobile
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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