# Feedback and status

How to ensure feedback and status messages are accessible to all users

Tabs: [About](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.about.md) · [Status types](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.status-types.md) · [Components](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.components.md) · [Accessibility](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.accessibility.md) · [Resources](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.resources.md)

## Introduction

Feedback and status messages should be perceivable and understandable by all users, regardless of their abilities or assistive technologies. This guide outlines key considerations to help ensure your implementations are inclusive and compliant with accessibility standards.

## Don't rely on colour alone

Some users have difficulty perceiving colour. As such, feedback and status information should not be distinguished by colour alone, as this violates [WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.1 “Use of Color” (level A)](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/use-of-color.html).

For example, avoid communicating different status using identical icons that differ only in colour.

Instead, pair colour with other visual cues, such as icons, or (

[even better](/patterns/feedback-and-status/feedback-and-status.accessibility#pair-icons-with-text)

) text.

> If you really have to use an icon without accompanying text, add a [Visually Hidden](/utils/visually-hidden/visually-hidden.guidelines) label so that screen readers can convey the icon’s meaning to visually impaired users.

## Pair icons with text

Whenever possible, feedback and status icons should be paired with visible text. This provides several benefits:

- Prevents relying on colour alone for communication
- Reduces ambiguity around icon meaning
- Helps visually impaired users differentiate statuses at a glance

Information: In progressSuccess: CompletedError: Failed

## Give users enough time

Some users need more time to read, decide, and act on a feedback or status message. This may be due to reading speed, vision, literacy, dexterity, or familiarity with Pleo.

Therefore, feedback and status messages should not disappear automatically after a set duration, especially critical ones. Instead, they should remain visible until dismissed by the user.

If auto-dismissal is unavoidable, users should be able to turn off, adjust, or extend the time limit to conform with the [WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.2.1 “Timing Adjustable” (level A)](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/timing-adjustable.html).