Success Criteria

WCAG 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable

Success Criterion 2.2.1 requires that for any time limit set by content, the user can turn it off, adjust it to be substantially longer, or extend it — with a short list of exceptions. It's a Level A criterion under Guideline 2.2 (Enough Time).

Who this protects

The time needed to read content, understand instructions, or complete a task varies. Motor, cognitive, and reading disabilities can increase that time. Fixed session timeouts or timed tasks may prevent completion unless users can adjust, extend, or disable the limit where required.

The four acceptable approaches

At least one of these needs to be true for any time limit:

1. Turn off — the user can disable the time limit before encountering it
2. Adjust — the user can extend the default limit to at least 10 times the original before encountering it
3. Extend — the user is warned before time expires and given at least 20 seconds to extend it with a simple action, and can do so at least 10 times
4. Real-time exception — for a genuinely real-time event (an auction, for instance) where the time limit is an essential, non-negotiable part of the event itself, no accommodation is required

Other narrow exceptions

• The time limit is essential and extending it would invalidate the activity (a timed test genuinely measuring speed)
• The time limit is longer than 20 hours

The common real-world case: session timeouts

A session that logs users out after inactivity is the most frequent place this criterion applies in practice. The typical, accepted implementation is a warning dialog appearing before expiration ("Your session will expire in 60 seconds — click to stay logged in"), giving the user a simple way to extend it, satisfying option 3 above without needing to redesign the underlying security timeout itself.

What this doesn't require

This criterion doesn't forbid time limits altogether — it requires that users have a reasonable way to work around them. A security-driven session timeout, a form with a time-limited promotional discount, or a quiz timer can all be perfectly compliant as long as one of the four accommodations above is genuinely available.

Common questions

What is WCAG 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable?

A Level A criterion: for any time limit, users must be able to turn it off, adjust it well in advance, or extend it after a warning, so they aren't cut off before finishing.

What are the exceptions?

Real-time events (like an auction), limits essential to the activity, and limits longer than 20 hours don't require adjustment.

What is a common example?

A session that logs the user out or wipes form data after inactivity should warn them and let them extend the time.