Social Security

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Respond to Warning and Error Messages

When using the online services provided on socialsecurity.gov, you may encounter with warning and error messages. The following instructions explain how to respond to the warning messages.

Timeout Warning

Unless you have turned JavaScript off in your browser, you will receive a warning after 25 minutes, and you can extend your time on the page. After the third warning, you must move to another page, or your time will expire and your work on that page will be lost.

"Page Has Expired" Messages

If you use the "Back" button when you shouldn't, you will get a "Page Has Expired" warning. When that happens, read the information on the page and then press the "Back" button again or press ALT + Left Arrow to get back to the page you left.

Error Messages

When you attempt to advance through the application with erroneous data or missing information, the form will redisplay with a list of links for each error at the top page. Selecting an error link will take you directly to the field in question, placing focus on the specific field that contains the error. When fixed, the error in the list of links or error messages in the field will not be deleted until the page is re-submitted. To navigate to the next error, invoke the screen reader or screen magnifier's links list or tab through the fields to hear the next error message.

Errors and page information, such as number of errors, current page or progress status, may also be available in the title bar of the page. Access to the title bar is available to screen readers; refer to your screen reader's documentation for the specific command.