2.2.5 Re-authenticating (Level AAA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.2.5 Re-authenticating (Level AAA): what it requires, a common e-commerce accessibility failure, and how to fix it.
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
WCAG 2.1 guidelines hub → Operable → 2.2.5 Re-authenticating
2.2.5 Re-authenticating (Level AAA)
What it requires: If a session expires, the user can re-authenticate and continue without losing the data they’d already entered.
Common failure: A long checkout form times out during payment entry, and logging back in returns the user to an empty cart instead of their in-progress order.
Fix it: Persist form/session state across a re-authentication flow so the user picks up where they left off rather than starting over.
In 2.2 Enough Time: ← 2.2.4 Interruptions · 2.2.6 Timeouts →
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a person for accuracy before publication.