How to fix aria hidden focus on Squarespace

Steps for Squarespace

1. Squarespace generates most HTML automatically, so direct template editing is limited. Go to Website → Pages → select the affected page → Edit.
2. If the flagged element is a Squarespace built-in block (slideshow, navigation, announcement bar), check the block's settings for any visibility or accessibility options.
3. For a custom workaround, go to Website → Website Tools → Code Injection → Footer and inject a small JavaScript snippet that selects the aria-hidden container and sets tabindex='-1' on its focusable children (see code snippet below). This runs on every page load.
4. If you have a Developer plan with template access, you can edit template files directly to correct the ARIA markup at the source.
5. After adding the Code Injection snippet, publish, then re-run the axe scan to confirm the fix.

What is aria hidden focus?

The `aria-hidden="true"` attribute tells screen readers to completely ignore an element and everything inside it — as if it doesn't exist. The problem arises when a focusable element (a button, link, or form field) lives inside that hidden container. Keyboard users can still tab into it, but screen-reader users hear nothing because the element has been silenced. This creates a "ghost focus" trap: the keyboard cursor lands on something invisible to assistive technology with no announcement, no label, and no way to understand what it does. WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.2 (Name, Role, Value) requires that all interactive UI components expose their name and role to assistive technology.

Screen-reader users — who are often blind or have low vision — can get stuck on focusable elements that their software cannot describe, making parts of your store completely unusable for them. This is a direct WCAG 2.1 Level A violation, the most severe tier, meaning it fails the baseline legal accessibility standard referenced in regulations like the ADA (US), EN 301 549 (EU), and the European Accessibility Act. Beyond legal risk, stores with accessibility barriers lose customers: roughly 1 in 4 adults has some disability, and inaccessible checkout flows directly reduce conversions. Automated accessibility tools (axe, Lighthouse, WAVE) flag this as a critical failure, which can surface in legal demand letters and audits.

See the complete Aria hidden focus guide for every platform and the full background.