Required fields indicator
Form key
ECT approvedUpdated May 21, 2026
Description
- A form key is a mandatory string of text informing users that any inputs marked with a red asterisk are required and must be filled in before the user journey can continue.
- For accessibility, it should be placed at the beginning of a form.
- For more information on marking fields as optional or required, see our form fields guidance.
- Learn more about designing forms in our Form pattern guidance.
Anatomy
Anatomy
Example
In a dialog form
Dos and don'ts
Don't
Requirements
Users should be able to:
- Identify the meaning of asterisks within a form.
- Understand which fields within a form are required and which are optional.
Interactions
The form key should be clearly visible at the top of the form, so that users are made aware of why asterisks have been used against form elements.
Design considerations
- Avoid using asterisks for required fields without using the form key.
- Without the form key, users with lower levels of digital literacy may not understand the meaning of the asterisk.
Development considerations
- Some screen readers may not read the asterisk on the label of the form, or within the form key.
- For all required fields, use the required attribute as a backup.
| Date | Changes |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | Updated guidance on the accessibility tab. |
| 02 May 2025 | Added 2 don't examples to the form key page to illustrate when it should not be used. |
| 17 March 2025 | Added description, updated the form key text based on the Experience Consistency Team's work and added the 'Approved' tag. |
| October 2024 | Added Example. |
| September 2024 | New version created. |