Interactive Role Undefined

Interactive Android elements must expose a meaningful accessibility role so TalkBack can announce what the element is and how to interact with it.

WCAG Reference

Maps to: WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value | Applies to: WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, WCAG 2.2 Introduced in: WCAG 2.0 | Level: A | Read the official specification →

What this rule checks

The scanner flags interactive elements (buttons, switches, checkboxes, sliders) that do not expose a recognized accessibility role to the Android accessibility framework.

Why it matters

TalkBack announces both the accessible name and the role ("Button", "Switch", "Checkbox") to tell users what kind of control they are interacting with. Without a role, users hear the name but cannot tell whether to tap, swipe, or double-tap.

Common failure patterns

• custom clickable View elements with no accessibilityClassName override
• LinearLayout or FrameLayout used as a button with an onClickListener but no role
• Jetpack Compose elements using clickable without a role parameter in Modifier.semantics

Remediation guidance

• use native Android widgets (Button, Switch, CheckBox) whenever possible
• for custom views, override getAccessibilityClassName() to return the appropriate widget class name
• in Jetpack Compose, set role = Role.Button (or the appropriate role) inside Modifier.semantics { }
• test with TalkBack to confirm the announced role matches the element's behavior

Related docs

• Android Rule Repository
• Accessibility Issue Remediation Guide