- Success Criterion 2.4.5
- Conformance level AA
Sitemap Link That Leads to an Empty or Outdated Page
2.4.5 — Multiple Ways
Scenario
Setting
A nonprofit's donation form
What’s wrong
Sitemap link present but page is empty/outdated/missing sections.
Example
A tester reviewing a nonprofit's donation form finds this: sitemap link present but page is empty/outdated/missing sections.
Why it matters
People with cognitive or visual disabilities who prefer search, sitemaps, or alternate nav styles. On a nonprofit's donation form specifically, they can't navigate the content by its real structure.
How to test
Open the sitemap link: if it's empty, outdated, or missing whole sections of the site, it fails as a genuine second way.
How to fix
At least two working ways (navigation menu, search, sitemap, index) must exist to reach the content.
Outcome
Fixed, a visitor to a nonprofit's donation form can understand how the page is organized.
Who is affected
People with cognitive or visual disabilities who prefer search, sitemaps, or alternate nav styles.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Website With No Real Second Way to Find Content
- Deep Pages Reachable Only Through One Navigation Path
- Site Search That’s Broken or Doesn’t Index Most Pages
- Sequential-Only Article Pagination With No Table of Contents
- Search Results Page That Can Only Be Reached via Search
- Second Way to Navigate Available on Desktop but Not Mobile