• Success Criterion 1.3.1
  • Conformance level A

Plain Text or Buttons Wrongly Wrapped in Heading Tags

1.3.1 — Info and Relationships

Scenario

Setting

A streaming music app's search results

What’s wrong

Plain text, buttons, or links wrapped in heading tags — over-heading that fabricates structure (inverse of F2).

Example

<h3><button>Play</button></h3>
<h3>Midnight City</h3>

Why it matters

A screen reader user scanning by heading hears "Play" listed as if it were a section title. That clutters the outline with a control, not real content.

How to test

Use a screen reader's headings list: plain text, buttons, or links wrapped in h1-h6 create false headings that clutter navigation — check each listed heading is genuinely one.

How to fix

Reserve headings for section titles; wrapping a button in one fabricates structure that doesn't exist.

<h3>Midnight City</h3>
<button>Play</button>

Outcome

A user's heading list shows only track titles, with Play buttons reachable but not cluttering the outline.

Who is affected

Screen reader users navigating search results by heading get a heading list padded with buttons that aren't real sections.

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