ARIA in WordPress: When to Use It (and When to Avoid It)

ARIA is one of the most misunderstood topics in web accessibility — especially in WordPress.

Many developers see ARIA roles and attributes as a universal fix for accessibility issues.
In reality, ARIA is a last resort, not a shortcut.

Before using it, it’s essential to understand what ARIA is, what it does, and when not to use it.

ARIA in WordPress: When to Use It (and When to Avoid It)

What Is ARIA (In Simple Terms)

ARIA stands for Accessible Rich Internet Applications.

It’s a specification that allows developers to add semantic meaning to elements when native HTML is not enough — mainly for assistive technologies like screen readers.

ARIA does not change visual behavior.
ARIA does not add keyboard support.
ARIA does not fix broken markup.

ARIA only describes behavior — it does not create it.

ARIA Is Not a Universal Solution

One of the most common accessibility mistakes is using ARIA to patch problems that should be solved with HTML.
Examples of things ARIA cannot fix:

missing keyboard interaction

incorrect focus order

poor color contrast

broken semantics

If a native HTML element exists for a job, use it.

<button>Save</button>

<button>Save</button>

is always better than:

<div role="button">Save</div>

<div role="button">Save</div>

When ARIA Makes Sense in WordPress

ARIA is useful when you build custom components that cannot rely on native HTML alone.

Typical WordPress examples:

custom dropdowns

accordion blocks

modals

toggle switches

navigation menus with dynamic states

In these cases, ARIA helps screen readers understand:

current state

relationships

expanded or collapsed content

Common attributes include:

aria-expanded

aria-controls

aria-current

aria-label

But only if the component already works correctly with keyboard and focus.

The “No ARIA Is Better Than Bad ARIA” Rule

Incorrect ARIA is worse than no ARIA at all.

Common ARIA mistakes in WordPress themes and plugins:

adding role="button" without keyboard support

using aria-hidden="true" on focusable elements

conflicting labels (<label> + aria-label)

hardcoded ARIA states that never update

If ARIA lies about state or behavior, assistive technologies trust the lie.

This can completely break the experience for screen reader users.

Language Attributes and Screen Readers

Accessibility is not only about ARIA roles.

One of the most important — and often forgotten — attributes is:

<html lang="en">

<html lang="en">

The lang attribute must reflect the actual language of the page, not a default like English.
A wrong language declaration can make an otherwise accessible site unusable for screen reader users.

Without it:

screen readers may use the wrong pronunciation

multilingual sites become confusing

accessibility suffers silently

In WordPress, this should always match the site language.

Motion, Animations, and `prefers-reduced-motion`

Accessibility also includes motion sensitivity.

Modern WordPress themes often use:

animations

smooth scrolling

parallax effects

These should respect the user’s system preferences:

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  * {
    animation: none;
    transition: none;
  }
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  * {
    animation: none;
    transition: none;
  }
}

ARIA cannot solve motion-related issues — CSS can.

Common ARIA Errors to Avoid

Before adding ARIA, check that you are not:

using ARIA where native HTML works

duplicating labels unnecessarily

hiding content from screen readers unintentionally

relying on ARIA instead of real interaction logic

If ARIA feels complicated, that’s often a sign it’s not needed.

Final Thought

ARIA is powerful — but dangerous when misunderstood.

Use it only when:

native HTML is insufficient

keyboard interaction already works

focus is properly managed

state changes are real and synchronized

Accessibility starts with HTML.
ARIA comes last.

🔗 This article is part of a broader guide on the most critical accessibility areas in WordPress: 6 Expert Techniques to Enhance Accessibility in WordPress

ARIA in WordPress: When to Use It (and When to Avoid It)