The HTML aria-multiselectable attribute
The aria-multiselectable="true" attribute marks a widget (listbox, grid, tree) as allowing more than one item to be selected at once. Combine it with aria-selected on the items.
Overview
The aria-multiselectable attribute indicates that a widget allows more than one item to be selected.
It is a widget state — a condition that can change as the user interacts. Because ARIA does nothing on its own, you must update this value in JavaScript every time the underlying state changes; a stale state is worse than none. And wherever a native element already expresses the same thing (a checkbox's checked state, the disabled attribute, a <details>'s open state), use that instead.
Like all ARIA, aria-multiselectable changes only the accessibility tree — what assistive technology perceives — never the element's behavior or appearance. The first rule of ARIA applies: if a native HTML element or attribute conveys this, use that instead, and only reach for ARIA when nothing native fits.
Syntax
<ul role="listbox" aria-multiselectable="true"> … </ul>Values
| Value |
|---|
| true | false |
Example
<ul role="listbox" aria-multiselectable="true">
<li role="option" aria-selected="true">A</li>
<li role="option" aria-selected="true">B</li>
</ul>Best practices
- Follow the first rule of ARIA — use a native HTML element or attribute that conveys this where one exists, rather than adding ARIA.
- Update the value in JavaScript whenever the state changes — keep it in sync with reality.
- Use the matching native state where one exists (a checkbox's
checked, thedisabledattribute, a <details>'s open state) instead of the ARIA version. - Set it only on an element whose role actually supports this state.