Interface More detail A1 · Official standard

Alert Dialog

An alert dialog is a modal dialog for an urgent choice. People must understand the result before they continue.

Try an example
You might call it confirmation dialogwarning dialog

Try an example

Alert Dialogrole="alertdialog"
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↩ After closing, keyboard focus goes back to the open button.

A real example

Before emptying trash forever, the dialog explains what will be lost. It offers a safe Cancel choice.

Main parts

  1. 01Trigger
  2. 02Anchored or modal surface
  3. 03Focus boundary
  4. 04Dismiss path

Use it when

Use it for a destructive or irreversible choice, or one with a serious result right away.

Do not use it when

Never ask for confirmation again and again on harmless actions that can be undone.

Name used in code

role="alertdialog"

Before you ship

Move focus on purpose. Keep it inside only when the overlay blocks the page. Support Escape and a visible close button, then return focus to the opener. Keep entered data and check small-screen, loading, and failure states.

Request you can copy

Outcome: Use Alert Dialog to solve this user need without losing the current context. User context: Before emptying trash forever, the dialog explains what will be lost. It offers a safe Cancel choice. Recommended pattern: Alert Dialog. Why it fits: Use it for a destructive or irreversible choice, or one with a serious result right away. Do not use it when: Never ask for confirmation again and again on harmless actions that can be undone. Product requirements: Define the default, loading, empty, error, success, and recovery states. Keep user input. Give clear feedback after every action. Accessibility and resilience: Use semantic HTML, full keyboard access, and visible focus. Make the layout work when zoomed and support reduced motion. Follow the project’s current rules. Do not add a new UI library unless the project already uses it. Acceptance criteria: The main task works with keyboard only and at 320px width. Focus and status changes are announced. Check loading, failure, retry, cancel, and reduced-motion paths. Evidence and limits (evidence boundary): The standard covers only the listed scope. It does not choose the visual style, product decision, or Vibulary example. Unknowns to confirm: Product wording, data source, analytics events, supported devices and languages, and platform limits.

Check this request

Review the current use of Alert Dialog. Definition: An alert dialog is a modal dialog for an urgent choice. People must understand the result before they continue. Release checks: Move focus on purpose. Keep it inside only when the overlay blocks the page. Support Escape and a visible close button, then return focus to the opener. Keep entered data and check small-screen, loading, and failure states. Before changing code, report the evidence you found, gaps, severity, and the smallest safe fix.

A1
How official is this term?

Official standard

A named standard sets the rules described on this page.

The standard covers only the listed scope. It does not choose the visual style, product decision, or Vibulary example.

Scope
ARIA alertdialog semantics
Document status
recommendation
Checked on
2026-07-30

Evidence sources & scope

Authority source + Term reference · W3C · recommendation Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) 1.2 — alertdialog role alertdialog role Scope: Web accessibility semantics; direct scope: alertdialog role Role here: Direct term reference Source covers: canonical name, definition, semantics, implementation Authority source · W3C · recommendation Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) 1.2 Scope: Web accessibility semantics Role here: Authority within stated scope Source covers: canonical name, definition, semantics, implementation Authority source · W3C WAI · stable ARIA Authoring Practices Guide Scope: Accessible web interaction patterns Role here: Authority within stated scope Source covers: canonical name, definition, interaction, keyboard behavior, accessibility

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