- Success Criterion 2.4.5
- Conformance level AA
Site Search That’s Broken or Doesn’t Index Most Pages
2.4.5 — Multiple Ways
Scenario
Setting
An e-book reader's library page
What’s wrong
Site search exists but is broken/never indexes most pages (only nominal second way).
Example
Picture an e-book reader's library page: site search exists but is broken/never indexes most pages (only nominal second way).
Why it matters
People with cognitive or visual disabilities who prefer search, sitemaps, or alternate nav styles. Here, on an e-book reader's library page, the result is they lose track of what belongs to what.
How to test
Use the site search for several known terms: if results are broken, incomplete, or the index misses most pages, it's not a genuine second way and fails.
How to fix
At least two working ways (navigation menu, search, sitemap, index) must exist to reach the content.
Outcome
After the fix, the same visitor to an e-book reader's library page can now navigate the content in a sensible order.
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
- Sitemap Link That Leads to an Empty or Outdated Page
- 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