spec checked
W3C WCAG 2.2 Understanding Success Criterion 2.2.6: Timeouts
Documents warning users about inactivity durations that can cause data loss unless data is preserved long enough, supporting clear warnings for exit or timeout conditions that risk losing work.
Pattern Decisions This Source Supports
| Pattern | Supported decision | Required contract | Claim note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit warning | Choose exit warning when departure has already been attempted and leaving would lose work or context that is not safely recoverable. | The warning appears only after a departure attempt or immediately before a known session boundary that could cause loss. | W3C documents warning users before timeouts can cause data loss. |
| Session timeout | Choose session timeout when the authenticated session has already expired or been terminated and the next valid path is sign-in, reauthentication, restart, or safe task restoration. | The timeout state is driven by server or identity-provider session validity, not by a cosmetic client-only overlay. | Supports communicating timeout duration and data-loss risk around inactivity timeouts. |
| Session timeout warning | Choose session timeout warning when the session is approaching an inactivity, absolute, device-lock, or reauthentication boundary that can interrupt authenticated work. | The warning is driven by the authoritative session or identity state, not only a local countdown. | W3C documents warning users when inactivity can cause data loss. |
Evidence Role
This source is treated as spec evidence. Use it to validate the decision rules above, not as a visual style reference.
Publisher: World Wide Web Consortium. Last checked: .