Why can't I tab into CSS3 checkboxes? - html

Question

I've been following tutorial on styling checkboxes using only CSS3 and here's what I came up with:
DEMO:
http://cssdeck.com/labs/jaoe0azx
Checkboxes are styled just fine - but when I tab through form controls -> checkbox is being skipped. Any advice why?
HTML:
<form role="form" id="login_form" data-mode="login">
<div class="form-group">
<label for="ue">Username or email:</label>
<input type="email" class="form-control input-lg" name="ue" id="ue" placeholder="" />
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="password">Password:</label>
<input type="password" class="form-control input-lg" name="password" id="password" placeholder="" />
</div>
<div>
<input id="rememberme" type="checkbox" name="rememberme" value="1" class="checkbox_1" tabindex="0" />
<label for="rememberme" class="checkbox_1" tabindex="0">remember me</label>
</div>
<div id="auth_area_login_button">
<button class = "btn btn-lg btn-primary">
Login
</button>
</div>
</form>
CSS:
#import url('//netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.0.3/css/bootstrap.min.css');
#login_form{padding:20px;}
label.checkbox_1 {
display: inline-block;
cursor: pointer;
position: relative;
padding-left: 25px;
margin: 0px;
}
label.checkbox_1:before {
content: "";
display: inline-block;
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
margin-right: 10px;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
bottom: 1px;
background-color: #fff;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 0px;
}
label.checkbox_1:hover:before{border-color:#66afe9;}
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1 {
display: none;
}
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1:checked + label.checkbox_1:before {
content: "\2713";
font-size: 15px;
color: #A0A0A0;
text-align: center;
line-height: 15px;
}
EDIT 1:
seems to work in firefox, but not in chrome...

Answer 1

Input must be accessible to receive focus. It works in chrome/chromium if you add following lines.
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1 {
opacity: 0;
}
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1:focus + label.checkbox_1:before {
border: 1px solid #66afe9;
}

Answer 2

Since the real checkbox is hide with display:none you can't focus it but you can also don't hide the element just make it be under the :before of the label:
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1 {
position: absolute;
width: 16px;
height: 16px;
margin: 0;
border: 1px solid transparent;
margin-top: 3px;
}
Check this http://cssdeck.com/labs/pl4ljry7
Tested in Chrome

Answer 3

Because, it is not a checkbox.
Look at the css:
input[type=checkbox].checkbox_1 {
display: none;
}
The checkbox is actually hidden. So, you will not be able to focus it. The stylized square and checkmark shown are through the :before pseudo element on label. Pseudo-elements can't be focused. Nor can the labels.

Answer 4

I know this is an old question, but I came up with a Jquery solution when the CSS solution didn't work for me, and thought others might find this helpful. I wrapped the input in a div with the desired tabindex value and the class "checkbox-add-tabindex". Then, using Jquery, I transferred the tabindex from the div to the input.
HTML:
<div class="checkbox-add-tabindex" tabindex="10">
<input id="rememberme" type="checkbox" name="rememberme" value="1" class="checkbox_1" tabindex="0" />
<label for="rememberme" class="checkbox_1" tabindex="0">remember me</label>
</div>
Jquery:
$(".checkbox-add-tabindex").focus(
function () {
var tabval = $(this).prop("tabindex");
$(this).removeAttr("tabindex");
$(this).children(":first").attr("tabindex", tabval);
$(this).children(":first").focus();
})