[BUG] google translate tabbing

[kevindherman]

Builds

• staging
  • has modified code from gtranslate staff to test JS issue

Source

• Support ticket

Describe the bug

I noticed a bug with the translate dropdown menu that impacts accessibility. You cannot operate and select a different language from the dropdown using only the keyboard - https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/keyboard.html.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Go to the website https://www.santa-ana.org/
2. Hit tab until you focus on the translate button
3. Hit enter to expand the dropdown
4. Use arrow keys to hover over another language
5. Hit Enter or Space. Neither select a new language
   Link to page with this issue
   https://www.santa-ana.org/
   Upload screenshot of issue

• Translate_Dropdown_Accessibility.mp4 (https://storage.googleapis.com/proudcity/gravity_forms/4-e67a234e0ce0eb1fbe609819c16f2966/2025/09/Translate_Dropdown_Accessibility.mp4)

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: [e.g. iOS]
• Browser [e.g. chrome, safari]
• Version [e.g. 22]

Smartphone (please complete the following information):

• Device: [e.g. iPhone6]
• OS: [e.g. iOS8.1]
• Browser [e.g. stock browser, safari]
• Version [e.g. 22]

Additional context

Add any other context about the problem here.

QA

Notes:

Links:

[curtismchale]

I submitted a support ticket with gtranslate the plugin author: https://wordpress.org/support/topic/language-menu-not-accessible-via-tab-or-arrow-keys/#new-topic-0

[kevindherman]

@curtismchale great. Hopefully they implement the fix.

[curtismchale]

@kevindherman so far they say it works for them in Chrome on Windows. It does work for me on Linux via Chrome. It doesn't work in any browser on macOS and it doesn't work for me in Firefox on Linux.

I bet based on their initial response we either won't hear back or they'll say that their test in Chrome on Windows is sufficient and they're not going to do anything about it.

I don't see which browser or operating system the customer was using either.

[kevindherman]

Following up with the customer.

I would think not working in macOS and/or Firefox would be enough for the plugin owner, clearly not.

[kevindherman]

@curtismchale Here's the customer info:
Browser: Google chrome version 140.0.7339.186
OS: Windows 11 version 24H2

Maybe that'll get plugin owner's attention @curtismchale ?

[curtismchale]

@kevindherman they're still engaging, but also suggest that the paid version doesn't rely on the JS code that they think might not be working so we should look at upgrading to paid.

[curtismchale]

Tested a new update to the JS from the forums today and it still doesn't work.

[curtismchale]

@kevindherman the end result is that they say they tested on Windows and aren't going to put time into testing browsers on macOS or Linux so if it doesn't work we should be using the paid version.

[curtismchale]

Alternatives to gtranslate that we could evaluate.

• Polylang also has a Pro version
• Weglot
• Translate This
• TranslatePress
• Google Language Translator
• WPML paid only

May be more but that's what I find right now.