# WCAG 2.2 – 3.3.1 Error Identification

- Level: A
- Principle: 3 Understandable
- Guideline: 3.3 Input Assistance
- Introduced in: WCAG 2.0

## What the rule requires

When input is wrong, text says which field is affected and what is wrong. A red border alone is not enough.

## How to get it right

Show the message right at the field: “Email address: please include an @ sign” and connect it with aria-describedby.

## Who benefits

- Blind people
- People with cognitive disabilities
- People with colour vision deficiency

## Sources

- [This rule on wcag.dehl.net](https://wcag.dehl.net/en/wcag/3-3-1/)
- [Interactive demo](https://wcag.dehl.net/en/demos/#forms)
- [Official W3C explanation](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/error-identification)
- [Techniques (WCAG Quick Reference)](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/#error-identification)

_Plain-language explanation. Only the original W3C text is normative._