Why is this an issue?

The accesskey attribute, despite its potential utility, is fraught with numerous issues that limit its effectiveness and usability:

• Screen readers' implementation of accesskey largely depends on the browser used, as they rely on browsers for much of their functionality. Some screen readers may repeatedly indicate the accesskey value each time the element is encountered, potentially causing unnecessary repetition and noise for the user.
• Conflicts between accesskey shortcuts and other keyboard shortcuts, such as those of browsers, operating systems, assistive technologies, or browser extensions, are frequent. This overlap can lead to uncertainty and potentially trigger unintended actions, causing user confusion.
• While keyboard shortcuts are vital for screen reader functionality, conflicts can disable either the screen reader or accesskey shortcuts. Typically, screen reader shortcuts take precedence, disabling the accesskey but preserving screen reader functionality. However, this can cause confusion for users attempting to activate an accesskey.
• No keystroke combinations can guarantee zero conflicts with all browsers, assistive technologies, or operating systems, particularly considering foreign languages. For instance, an accesskey shortcut that works in an English browser may conflict in the same browser set in another language due to different menu naming conventions.
• While using numerals instead of letters for keyboard shortcuts could reduce conflicts, it’s not a foolproof solution. There’s no standard correlation between numbers and web functions, which could lead to user confusion.
• Unlike the Windows environment that highlights keyboard shortcuts in menus, web pages or applications lack a standardized method to notify users about available accesskey shortcuts.

Given these concerns, it is generally recommended to avoid using accesskeys.

<div accessKey="h"/>

Do not use accesskeys at all.

<div />

Resources

Documentation

• MDN web docs - accesskey
• MDN web docs - Accessibility concerns