Resource guide
2.2.4 Interruptions
Users must be able to postpone or suppress interruptions, except for emergencies.
By Calling All Minds·Last updated April 2026
Success criterion
Conformance level
Enhanced accessibility — beyond the legal minimum.
What it means
Interruptions such as pop-ups, notifications, and alerts can break concentration and cause users to lose their place in a task. This is especially disruptive for people with cognitive disabilities or attention difficulties.
At Level AAA, users must have the ability to postpone or turn off non-emergency interruptions.
In practice
Provide notification settings that allow users to pause or disable non-critical alerts.
Do not show promotional pop-ups during active tasks such as form completion or checkout.
Emergency alerts (such as security warnings or session expiry) are exempt.
Common failures
- Chat widget that sends pop-up notifications during form completion
- Cookie consent banner that appears mid-task with no way to dismiss it temporarily
AXS Audit
AXS Audit checks your site against 2.2.4 and flags issues your team can act on straight away. It covers criteria that automated scanners often miss.