Headings - Easy Checks

What are Headings?

Headings communicate the organization of the content on the page. They are like a table of contents. They should be nested by their rank or level. This helps provide a summary of the structure and content of a page. For example:

  <h1> Headings - Easy Checks
     <h2> What are Headings?
     <h2> Who depends on Headings?
     <h2> Checking Headings
        <h3> Checking this page
        <h3> Checking other pages
        <h3> What to look for
     <h2> Learn more
     <h2> Acknowledgements
     <h2> Help improve this page

Headings can have 1 of 6 levels assigned and should be nested by that level and the main heading on a page is usually level 1, <h1>. The following headings should be at levels 2 to 6, <h2> to <h6>. Levels should not be skipped as sub-headings are created, like the table-of-contents in a book.

Headings should be succinct and describe the section or text of the page that follows.

Why are Headings important?

Headings act as page navigation for many people. For example:

• Screen reader users can jump from heading to heading with a single keystroke. They can also access the heading structure and text in a dialogue box for an overview of the page.
• People with low vision often rely on larger visual headings to understand the topics and subtopics on a web page before zooming in to read the smaller paragraph text.
• Headings also help people with cognitive and learning or reading disabilities by helping them understand and focus on the topics within a page.

Checking Headings

Checking this page

This is just for practice. Also, you can see what the check will look like on an accessible page.

Click on the button below:

Check headings on this page

Checking other pages

To check other pages you need to add the check link as a bookmark.

1. Make sure your browser bookmarks bar is open. Ctrl/CMD+Shift+B will usually toggle the bar
2. Drag this link to your browser bookmarks bar: Check headings
3. Visit the page you want to check
4. Click on the ‘Check headings’ link in your bookmarks

What to look for

• Does the page have any headings?
• Did the the list start with an H1?
• Are any heading levels skipped?
• Are any headings levels blank with no text?
• Does any text look like a heading but not showing up as one?
• Does the heading text reflect the content that follows?
• Do the headings represent the structure of the content, particularly nested content?

Learn more

• Story: Someone who uses headings to navigate a page
• Tip: Use headings to convey meaning and structure
• Tip: Use headings and spacing to group related content
• Tutorial: Headings
• Understanding 2.4.6: Headings and Labels