Accessibility vs. read-only input fields

1. What is the difference between readonly and disabled attributes?
2. Do Screen readers read disabled inputs?
3. What are read only fields?
4. What ways can a form field be made read only?

What is the difference between readonly and disabled attributes?

The difference between disabled and readonly is that read-only controls can still function and are still focusable, whereas disabled controls can not receive focus and are not submitted with the form and generally do not function as controls until they are enabled.

Do Screen readers read disabled inputs?

Screen readers ignore disabled controls, so screen reader users won't hear the message. Add some nearby visible help text for the button. This would work for sighted users, but not necessarily for low vision users or blind users using a screen reader.

What are read only fields?

Definition and Usage

A read-only input field cannot be modified (however, a user can tab to it, highlight it, and copy the text from it). The readonly attribute can be set to keep a user from changing the value until some other conditions have been met (like selecting a checkbox, etc.).

What ways can a form field be made read only?

You can target elements that are read only with the :read-only pseudo-class, and its writability with the :read-write pseudo-class. Or, if you want to specifically target the presence of the attribute, you can use input[readonly] and input:not([readonly]) .