Hotspots Not Reachable by Keyboard

Why this matters

Hotspots are a common way to build click-to-reveal interactions, image labeling activities, and exploratory scenes in Storyline. If a hotspot is not in the Tab order, a keyboard-only learner has no way to discover or activate it, and may not even realize the interaction exists at all, since nothing announces its presence.

Storyline 360 example

A workplace safety scene has five hotspots placed over different pieces of equipment, each revealing a description when clicked. None of the hotspots have a Tab order value set, so pressing Tab skips straight past the image to the Next button, and a keyboard-only learner never discovers the interaction exists.

Rise 360 example

A Rise labeled graphic block places markers over an image, each opening a short description when selected. If the block's markers are not reachable by keyboard, the same problem applies, a keyboard-only learner cannot open any of the descriptions.

How to fix it

1Identify every hotspot and clickable marker in the course
2Confirm each one is reachable by pressing Tab, in a sensible order
3Confirm each one can be activated by pressing Enter or Space, not only by clicking
4Give each hotspot a clear accessible name describing what it reveals, not just "hotspot"
5Test the whole interaction using only a keyboard, including opening and closing each revealed piece of content

Fix in Storyline 360

1Select the hotspot object and open its Accessibility settings
2Set a Tab order value so it is included in the keyboard focus order, in a logical position
3Confirm the hotspot has a trigger set to fire "On click" but also test that it fires when reached and activated with Enter or Space, since Storyline hotspots are keyboard-operable once included in Tab order
4Set an accessible name that describes what the hotspot reveals, not a generic label

Fix in Rise 360

1Rise's Labeled Graphic block markers are keyboard-operable by default once published, so this is primarily a testing check rather than a settings change
2Tab through the published labeled graphic and confirm every marker is reachable and can be opened with Enter or Space
3Check that each marker has a real, descriptive label, not a generic number or icon-only label
4Confirm the marker's description content is announced by a screen reader when opened

Common questions

Are Storyline hotspots keyboard accessible by default?

Not automatically. A hotspot needs a Tab order value set in its Accessibility settings before a keyboard-only learner can reach it at all.

How do I know if a hotspot is missing from the Tab order?

Preview or publish the course, then Tab through the slide using only your keyboard. If focus skips over the hotspot entirely, it needs a Tab order value set.

Does this apply to Rise as well as Storyline?

The same underlying problem, a hotspot or marker that a mouse can click but a keyboard cannot reach, can occur in Rise's Labeled Graphic block too, so it is worth testing there as well, even though Rise's markers are keyboard-operable by default.