How to fix tabindex on Shopify

Steps for Shopify

1. Go to Online Store → Themes → click 'Customize' on your active theme.
2. For theme-level HTML/Liquid changes: from the theme editor click the three-dot menu → 'Edit code'. Search all .liquid files (use Ctrl+F in each file, or the built-in search) for 'tabindex' to locate every occurrence.
3. In each file, remove positive tabindex attributes or change them to tabindex='0'. Save each file.
4. If a third-party app (e.g. a popup, reviews widget, or page builder like Shogun/PageFly) is injecting elements with positive tabindex values, check that app's settings for custom HTML blocks and edit the markup there, or contact the app developer.
5. Verify by previewing your theme and tabbing through the storefront in a browser without clicking the mouse.

<![CDATA[<!-- ❌ WRONG: positive tabindex breaks focus order -->
<button tabindex="3">Add to Cart</button>
<a href="/sale" tabindex="1">View Sale</a>
<input type="email" tabindex="2" placeholder="Your email">

<!-- ✅ CORRECT: remove attribute or use 0; rely on document order -->
<a href="/sale">View Sale</a>
<input type="email" placeholder="Your email">
<button>Add to Cart</button>

<!-- ✅ CORRECT: non-native interactive element added to normal tab flow -->
<div role="button" tabindex="0" onclick="openMenu()">Menu</div>

<!-- ✅ CORRECT: focus target for JS only, not in tab flow -->
<div id="modal-heading" tabindex="-1">Special Offer</div>
]]>

What is tabindex?

The `tabindex` attribute tells a browser how an element should behave when a user presses the Tab key to navigate a page by keyboard. A value of `0` means "include this element in the normal tab order," while a value of `-1` means "exclude it from tab order but allow programmatic focus." A positive value — like `tabindex="1"`, `tabindex="2"`, etc. — forces that element to be focused *before* everything else on the page, regardless of where it sits in the HTML. This almost always creates a confusing, broken keyboard experience because the visual order and the focus order no longer match.

Keyboard navigation is essential for people who cannot use a mouse — including users with motor disabilities, screen-reader users, and power users who rely on the Tab key. When positive tabindex values are present, focus jumps unpredictably around the page, making it nearly impossible for these shoppers to browse products, fill in forms, or complete a checkout. This violates WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.4.3 (Focus Order) at Level AA — the standard that most accessibility laws (ADA, European Accessibility Act, UK Equality Act) reference. Failing it exposes your business to legal complaints and litigation, and it directly harms conversion rates by locking out an estimated 15–20% of online shoppers who have some form of disability.

See the complete Tabindex guide for every platform and the full background.