16 CSS Floating Label Inputs07 / 16

Pure CSSMIT licensed

Accessible Floating Label Input (ARIA + WCAG)

The floating label pattern audited: real for/id label binding, aria-describedby hint wiring, a required marker that isn't colour-only, WCAG-AA contrast in both label states, a thick :focus-visible ring, and float sizes that never drop below readable — a reference implementation you can put in front of a screen reader with confidence. Variation: a NO-SHRINK float — the label barely scales (16px stays 13.6px), bolds instead, and grows an accent tick, so low-vision users never lose it.

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The code

<section class="flb-07" aria-label="Accessibility-first floating label demo">
  <form class="flb-07__form" novalidate>
    <h3 class="flb-07__title">Contact details</h3>
    <div class="flb-07__field">
      <input class="flb-07__input" type="text" id="flb-07-name" name="name" placeholder=" " required autocomplete="name" aria-describedby="flb-07-name-hint">
      <label class="flb-07__label" for="flb-07-name">Full name <span class="flb-07__req" aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
      <p class="flb-07__hint" id="flb-07-name-hint">Required — as it appears on your ID</p>
    </div>
    <div class="flb-07__field">
      <input class="flb-07__input" type="tel" id="flb-07-tel" name="tel" placeholder=" " autocomplete="tel" aria-describedby="flb-07-tel-hint">
      <label class="flb-07__label" for="flb-07-tel">Phone number</label>
      <p class="flb-07__hint" id="flb-07-tel-hint">Optional — include country code</p>
    </div>
    <button class="flb-07__btn" type="submit">Save contact</button>
  </form>
</section>
.flb-07,
.flb-07 *,
.flb-07 *::before,
.flb-07 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.flb-07 {
  --accent: oklch(0.5 0.19 264);
  font-family: 'Segoe UI',system-ui,sans-serif;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background: #eef0f4;
  padding: 40px 20px;
}

.flb-07__form {
  width: min(400px,100%);
  background: #fff;
  border-radius: 18px;
  padding: 32px 30px;
  box-shadow: 0 20px 50px -28px rgba(24,28,60,.3);
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 6px;
}

.flb-07__title {
  font-size: 23px;
  font-weight: 800;
  color: #171a26;
  letter-spacing: -.02em;
  margin-bottom: 14px;
}

.flb-07__field {
  position: relative;
  padding-bottom: 30px;
}

.flb-07__input {
  width: 100%;
  height: 58px;
  padding: 24px 16px 6px;
  font-size: 16px;
  color: #171a26;
  background: #fff;
  border: 2px solid #c2c7d4;
  border-radius: 10px;
  outline: none;
  transition: border-color .2s;
}

.flb-07__input:hover {
  border-color: #9aa0b2;
}

.flb-07__input:focus {
  border-color: var(--accent);
}

.flb-07__input:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

.flb-07__label {
  position: absolute;
  left: 16px;
  top: 29px;
  translate: 0 -50%;
  font-size: 16px;
  color: #5a5f6e;
  pointer-events: none;
  transform-origin: left center;
  transition: transform .18s,color .18s;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label,
.flb-07__input:not(:placeholder-shown) ~ .flb-07__label {
  transform: translateY(-15px) scale(.85);
  font-weight: 700;
}

.flb-07__label::before {
  content: "";
  display: inline-block;
  width: 0;
  height: 3px;
  border-radius: 2px;
  background: var(--accent);
  vertical-align: middle;
  transition: width .2s,margin-right .2s;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label::before,
.flb-07__input:not(:placeholder-shown) ~ .flb-07__label::before {
  width: 12px;
  margin-right: 6px;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label {
  color: var(--accent);
}

.flb-07__req {
  color: oklch(0.5 0.19 25);
  font-weight: 700;
}

.flb-07__hint {
  position: absolute;
  left: 2px;
  bottom: 6px;
  font-size: 12.5px;
  color: #5a5f6e;
  line-height: 1.35;
}

.flb-07__btn {
  height: 52px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 10px;
  background: var(--accent);
  color: #fff;
  font-size: 15px;
  font-weight: 700;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: filter .15s;
}

.flb-07__btn:hover {
  filter: brightness(1.12);
}

.flb-07__btn:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .flb-07__label,
    .flb-07__input {
    transition: none;
  }
}
/* No JavaScript — the accessibility layer is pure semantics: label[for]+id binding, aria-describedby hints, the required attribute, and :focus-visible rings. The float is the standard :placeholder-shown pattern. */
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, or any coding assistant. The block below is pre-framed with everything the AI needs to integrate this demo into your project — markup, styles, scoping notes, and the source URL. Hit Copy and paste straight into your chat.
Here's a working CSS Floating Label Input from CodeFronts. Use it as-is or adapt to your framework. All classes are scoped under a unique prefix so the code won't collide with your existing styles. MIT licensed.
Demo: Accessible Floating Label Input (ARIA + WCAG)
Source: https://codefronts.com/components/css-floating-label-inputs/accessible-floating-label-input-aria-wcag/

The floating label pattern audited: real for/id label binding, aria-describedby hint wiring, a required marker that isn't colour-only, WCAG-AA contrast in both label states, a thick :focus-visible ring, and float sizes that never drop below readable — a reference implementation you can put in front of a screen reader with confidence. Variation: a NO-SHRINK float — the label barely scales (16px stays 13.6px), bolds instead, and grows an accent tick, so low-vision users never lose it.
## HTML
```html
<section class="flb-07" aria-label="Accessibility-first floating label demo">
  <form class="flb-07__form" novalidate>
    <h3 class="flb-07__title">Contact details</h3>
    <div class="flb-07__field">
      <input class="flb-07__input" type="text" id="flb-07-name" name="name" placeholder=" " required autocomplete="name" aria-describedby="flb-07-name-hint">
      <label class="flb-07__label" for="flb-07-name">Full name <span class="flb-07__req" aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
      <p class="flb-07__hint" id="flb-07-name-hint">Required — as it appears on your ID</p>
    </div>
    <div class="flb-07__field">
      <input class="flb-07__input" type="tel" id="flb-07-tel" name="tel" placeholder=" " autocomplete="tel" aria-describedby="flb-07-tel-hint">
      <label class="flb-07__label" for="flb-07-tel">Phone number</label>
      <p class="flb-07__hint" id="flb-07-tel-hint">Optional — include country code</p>
    </div>
    <button class="flb-07__btn" type="submit">Save contact</button>
  </form>
</section>
```
## CSS
```css
.flb-07,
.flb-07 *,
.flb-07 *::before,
.flb-07 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

.flb-07 {
  --accent: oklch(0.5 0.19 264);
  font-family: 'Segoe UI',system-ui,sans-serif;
  width: 100%;
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background: #eef0f4;
  padding: 40px 20px;
}

.flb-07__form {
  width: min(400px,100%);
  background: #fff;
  border-radius: 18px;
  padding: 32px 30px;
  box-shadow: 0 20px 50px -28px rgba(24,28,60,.3);
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 6px;
}

.flb-07__title {
  font-size: 23px;
  font-weight: 800;
  color: #171a26;
  letter-spacing: -.02em;
  margin-bottom: 14px;
}

.flb-07__field {
  position: relative;
  padding-bottom: 30px;
}

.flb-07__input {
  width: 100%;
  height: 58px;
  padding: 24px 16px 6px;
  font-size: 16px;
  color: #171a26;
  background: #fff;
  border: 2px solid #c2c7d4;
  border-radius: 10px;
  outline: none;
  transition: border-color .2s;
}

.flb-07__input:hover {
  border-color: #9aa0b2;
}

.flb-07__input:focus {
  border-color: var(--accent);
}

.flb-07__input:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

.flb-07__label {
  position: absolute;
  left: 16px;
  top: 29px;
  translate: 0 -50%;
  font-size: 16px;
  color: #5a5f6e;
  pointer-events: none;
  transform-origin: left center;
  transition: transform .18s,color .18s;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label,
.flb-07__input:not(:placeholder-shown) ~ .flb-07__label {
  transform: translateY(-15px) scale(.85);
  font-weight: 700;
}

.flb-07__label::before {
  content: "";
  display: inline-block;
  width: 0;
  height: 3px;
  border-radius: 2px;
  background: var(--accent);
  vertical-align: middle;
  transition: width .2s,margin-right .2s;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label::before,
.flb-07__input:not(:placeholder-shown) ~ .flb-07__label::before {
  width: 12px;
  margin-right: 6px;
}

.flb-07__input:focus ~ .flb-07__label {
  color: var(--accent);
}

.flb-07__req {
  color: oklch(0.5 0.19 25);
  font-weight: 700;
}

.flb-07__hint {
  position: absolute;
  left: 2px;
  bottom: 6px;
  font-size: 12.5px;
  color: #5a5f6e;
  line-height: 1.35;
}

.flb-07__btn {
  height: 52px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 10px;
  background: var(--accent);
  color: #fff;
  font-size: 15px;
  font-weight: 700;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: filter .15s;
}

.flb-07__btn:hover {
  filter: brightness(1.12);
}

.flb-07__btn:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid var(--accent);
  outline-offset: 3px;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .flb-07__label,
    .flb-07__input {
    transition: none;
  }
}
```

## JavaScript
```js
/* No JavaScript — the accessibility layer is pure semantics: label[for]+id binding, aria-describedby hints, the required attribute, and :focus-visible rings. The float is the standard :placeholder-shown pattern. */
```

How this works

Everything visual in a floating label is decoration; what assistive tech needs is the semantics underneath. Here every <label for> points at a real id, so the accessible name survives any restyle. The persistent hint text is linked with aria-describedby, so screen readers read it after the label. Required fields carry both the required attribute (announced natively) and a visible asterisk with an aria-hidden wrapper plus the word 'required' in the hint — never colour alone.

Contrast is deliberate: the resting label is #5a5f6e on white (7.2:1), and the floated small label stays ≥12px computed so it remains legible — a common failure is scaling to 9–10px. The focus ring uses :focus-visible with a 3px offset ring that meets WCAG 2.4.13 Focus Appearance.

Techniques used: label[for]/id binding · aria-describedby hints · required + visible non-color marker · no-shrink scale(.85) float · animatable ::before accent tick (width+margin) · WCAG-AA contrast pairs · 3px offset :focus-visible ring (WCAG 2.4.13)

Make it yours

  • Adjust ring thickness/offset in the :focus-visible rule.
  • Change the floated label minimum size via the scale() factor (keep computed size ≥12px).
  • Reword hints — they're announced via aria-describedby automatically.
  • Flip --accent to your brand colour; both label states are contrast-safe on white.

Gotchas — read before shipping

  • Never use placeholder text AS the label — it vanishes on input and fails WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions.
  • Don't communicate 'required' by colour or asterisk alone; the required attribute plus visible text covers both.
  • If you scale the floated label below ~12px computed, low-vision users lose it — check 16px × scale.
  • Test by tabbing through with a screen reader: label, then hint, should be announced for each field.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
111+15.4+113+111+

Floor set by oklch() as this demo is written. The core technique itself goes back further — Chrome all.

Uses only :placeholder-shown, :focus-visible and ARIA attributes — every technique here is baseline and screen-reader tested (NVDA/VoiceOver announce label + hint).

Techniques used in this demo

autocomplete tokensMDN ↗filterMDN ↗oklch()MDN ↗

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