Placeholder no es una etiqueta

It is tempting to drop hint text in a field and skip the label. But a placeholder is a hint, not a name. ⚠️

The moment someone starts typing, the placeholder vanishes. Now there is nothing left to say what the field was for.

Users with memory or attention challenges have to remember the hint after it is gone. A persistent label removes that load.

Placeholder text is usually light gray, which often fails contrast rules. Low-vision users may not read it at all.

Gray hint text can read as an already-filled value. People skip the field, then a required error surprises them.

Screen reader support for placeholder as a name is patchy and varies by browser. You cannot rely on it being announced.

Placeholders are fine as extra hints, like a format example. Pair them with a real label, never use them alone.

A placeholder is great for a format example like a date pattern. The label still carries the field's actual name.

Floating labels slide up when you type, keeping the name visible. They are a real label, just animated, so they pass.

Quick check: type into the field. If you can no longer tell what it wants, the placeholder was doing a label's job.

WCAG's Labels or Instructions criterion expects a clear, persistent name. Placeholder-only fields routinely fail audits.

Why is a placeholder a poor replacement for a label?

A placeholder is a fading hint, not a name. Keep a real label and use placeholders only for extra format help. 💡