- Success Criterion 2.4.5
- Conformance level AA
Second Way to Navigate Available on Desktop but Not Mobile
2.4.5 — Multiple Ways
Scenario
Setting
A survey tool's question builder
What’s wrong
"Second way" exists only for desktop layout — mobile removes search/sitemap entirely.
Example
<!-- Only path to any page: the main nav menu -->Why it matters
People with cognitive or visual disabilities who prefer search, sitemaps, or alternate nav styles.
How to test
Check the mobile layout specifically: if search/sitemap links present on desktop are removed on mobile, leaving only one way to navigate, it fails.
How to fix
At least two working ways (navigation menu, search, sitemap, index) must exist to reach the content.
<nav><!-- main menu --></nav><input type="search" aria-label="Search the site">At least two ways to find a page — search, a site map, or navigable landmarks — give users options beyond one fixed menu.
Outcome
On a survey tool's question builder, this barrier is gone for people with cognitive or visual disabilities who prefer search — they no longer have to work around this.
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
- Sitemap Link That Leads to an Empty or Outdated Page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