How can I check whether a webpage works without a mouse?
Quick answer
Set your mouse aside and navigate the page using Tab and Shift+Tab. Check that a visible focus indicator shows where you are, that links and controls can be reached and activated with the keyboard, and that forms can be completed and submitted. Also try the arrow keys and Enter or Space where appropriate. Record the page, steps, and any point where you get stuck. This is a practical check, not a full accessibility audit.
The question, the details, the next step.
I want to check a webpage without using a mouse. What should I do first?
Start with the page as a visitor would encounter it. Open the page, put the mouse aside, and use Tab to move forward through interactive items. Use Shift+Tab to move backward. Avoid touching the mouse or trackpad during the check, since switching back can hide where keyboard navigation left off.
As you move, watch for a visible focus indicator: some clear sign of which link, button, field, or other control is currently selected. Note whether focus follows a sensible order, such as through the page header, main content, and footer, rather than jumping unpredictably. You do not have to judge the design; simply record what you can see and where navigation seems confusing or stops.
How do I check links, menus, and buttons? I am not sure which key each one should use.
Tab to each link or control and confirm that the focus indicator is visible. Try Enter on a focused link to follow it. For buttons, try Enter and Space; note whether the control responds and whether the result makes sense. Some controls, such as menus or sets of options, may use arrow keys after you reach them, so try those too and record what happens rather than assuming every item should behave identically.
Check more than the first item in a repeated group. For example, visit each navigation menu item, open any menu you can reach, and see whether you can move into it and back out using the keyboard. If focus seems to disappear, gets trapped, or skips something you need, write down the step just before that happens. Do not treat a successful tab-through as proof that every interaction or accessibility need has been checked.
What about a form? Can I tell whether someone could finish it without a mouse?
Try a harmless test submission if the page allows one, or use a non-production form when available. Tab from the start of the form through each field and control. Enter sample text, choose an option using the keyboard, and try to submit. Notice whether you can reach every field, identify which field is focused, and understand what happens after submission.
If the form shows an error, check whether you can reach the affected field and whether the page gives a visible indication of what needs attention. Record the wording or behavior you observed, but do not submit real personal information just to test the page. If you cannot safely make a test submission, check the fields and controls you can access, then note that submission behavior remains untested.
How should I write up what I find, and what should I do if something fails?
Keep notes factual and reproducible. A short report can say: “Page: [page name or internal reference]. Starting point: [where I began]. Steps: pressed Tab three times, then Enter. Observation: focus moved to [control]; after opening the menu, I could not reach [item] with the keyboard. Expected for this check: continue through the menu and return to the page.” Replace the bracketed text with what you actually observed; do not guess at the cause.
If you find a barrier, share the steps and, if useful, a screenshot that does not expose private information. Ask the site owner or developer to investigate. Repeat the same steps after a change to see whether that specific behavior differs. This routine checks practical keyboard access on the page you tried; it is not a full accessibility audit and does not establish how the page works for every person, device, or assistive technology.
A practical checklist
Set the mouse aside and start at the top of the page.
Use Tab and Shift+Tab; confirm that the current focus is visible.
Try opening and leaving menus, links, and other interactive controls with the keyboard.
Navigate form fields, enter harmless sample content, and test submission only when safe.
Write down the exact steps and observed result, including anything you could not test.
A few more useful answers
Do I need to test every page on a website?
Start with the page and key interactions you care about. If you are checking a larger site, repeat the routine on pages with different layouts or features; one page does not demonstrate how every page behaves.
What if I can tab through everything but cannot tell what is selected?
Record which step makes the focus indicator hard to see or impossible to locate. Being able to reach an item is not enough for this check if you cannot tell where keyboard focus is.
Does passing this check mean the page is accessible?
No. It is a basic keyboard-only check of the interactions you tried, not a comprehensive accessibility evaluation.