Timing Adjustable
Any time limit imposed by the content must be turn-off-able, adjustable to at least ten times the default, or extendable by the user with at least 20 seconds' warning. Session timeouts and quiz timers are the main targets.
What it asks
If the site sets a time limit on any interaction, the user must be able to do at least one of:
- Turn off the time limit before encountering it.
- Adjust the limit to at least ten times the default before encountering it.
- Extend the limit when warned at least 20 seconds before it expires, using a simple action (e.g. pressing the space bar), with at least ten extensions allowed.
Exceptions: real-time events (an auction closing, a live exam), essential limits where extension would invalidate the activity (timed tax filing deadline), and limits longer than 20 hours.
How to meet it
- For session timeouts, show a modal at least 20 seconds before logout with a “Stay signed in” button. The button must reset the timer and be reachable by keyboard and screen reader.
- For quiz or assessment timers, provide a teacher-facing setting to extend time by 1.5×, 2×, or unlimited — common practice already for students with disability accommodations.
- For booking flows where seats are held for ten minutes, expose a “Need more time?” link before the timer becomes critical.
- Persist user preferences: if a user extends time once, consider extending it by default on the next page.
Common failures
- Banking sessions that log the user out after five minutes with no warning, deleting any half-filled transfer form.
- Government services (visa applications, tax filings) with hard 30-minute limits and no extension mechanism.
- Quiz platforms where the timer cannot be adjusted by the test-taker or extended by the proctor.
- Cookie banners or consent flows that auto-dismiss after a few seconds, before a screen-reader user can hear the choices.
- “Your reservation will expire in 02:00” countdowns on ticket sites with no warning before the page reloads.
Automated tools cannot detect timing failures — these are almost always found in user testing or via complaint.
Why it matters
Time pressure disproportionately excludes users with cognitive disabilities, motor impairments (typing is slower), screen-reader users (audio is linear and takes longer than scanning), and anyone whose attention can be interrupted by pain, medication, or a care interaction. The classic failure mode — a half-completed government form that disappears because the user took too long — is consistently cited as one of the most frustrating accessibility barriers, and one of the easiest to fix with a warning modal.