- Success Criterion 2.4.6
- Conformance level AA
Heading or Label That Fails to Describe Its Own Purpose
2.4.6 — Headings and Labels
Scenario
Setting
A music streaming app's playlist screen
What’s wrong
No numbered W3C failure technique exists for this rule — it fails simply when the required feature/behavior is missing or inadequate (see the scenarios below).
Example
Try this on a music streaming app's playlist screen: no numbered W3C failure technique exists for this rule — it fails simply when the required feature/behavior is missing or inadequate (see the scenarios below).
Why it matters
Everyone, especially screen-reader users and people who skim headings/labels for orientation. On a music streaming app's playlist screen, that means they can't navigate the content by its real structure.
How to test
Read every heading and field label out of context: each must describe its section's topic or the field's purpose on its own — vague or missing description fails.
How to fix
The heading or label must describe its section's topic or the control's purpose, distinguishably from its siblings.
Outcome
With the fix in place on a music streaming app's playlist screen, they move through the content with confidence.
Who is affected
Everyone, especially screen-reader users and people who skim headings/labels for orientation.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Generic Section Heading Like ‘Introduction’ That Says Nothing
- Identical Headings Repeated Over Completely Different Content
- Form Label Like ‘Field 1’ That Doesn’t Describe Its Purpose
- Same Label Used for Two Different Fields on One Form
- Clever Marketing Heading That Hides What a Section Actually Does
- Button Labeled ‘OK’ on a Destructive, Irreversible Action