WCAG 2.0 · Level A · Operable
2.4.2 Page Titled
Each web page needs a title that describes its topic or purpose. A useful title helps people identify the page without first reading or interpreting its content.
Manual verification
How to validate 2.4.2 by hand
Check that every web page has a title describing its topic or purpose.
Start with the extension result
Reopen the reported URL and reproduce the same state (for example, after expanding a menu or submitting a form). Use the result’s Highlight action when available, or its affected-element details and CSS selector, to find the reported content. Apply the checks below to that content and its context. If the element or state has changed, rescan and record that difference before deciding whether the finding still applies.
- Open each page type and inspect the browser tab title or document title property.
- Compare the title with the page’s actual content and distinguish it from titles on other pages.
- Repeat after client-side navigation and for error, search, and confirmation states.
Evidence to record
Record the page URL, title, and the topic or purpose the title fails to communicate.
Scope and exceptions
A title can be short if it identifies the page in context. A generic site name alone may not describe the specific page.
Record the review outcome
- Confirmed: the recorded evidence shows the requirement is not met in the tested page state, and no applicable exception explains it.
- Not reproduced: the reported issue is absent in the current state. Record the URL, state, and affected element you checked; this does not prove other pages or states conform.
- Needs more review: evidence is incomplete, the content requires human judgment, or an exception is uncertain. Record what remains to be checked instead of treating it as a pass.
Why it matters
Browsers expose page titles in places such as tabs, history, and window controls. Clear titles help people distinguish pages, especially when they navigate among several pages or use assistive technology that announces the title on arrival.
Examples and distinctions
Topic-specific title
A page about keyboard testing can use a title such as “Keyboard testing guide — A11y Scan,” which identifies both the subject and the site.
Document or application
For a document or web application, the document or application name can be enough when it describes the page's purpose.
Avoid generic titles
A title such as “Untitled” or a generic “Home” may not tell people what the page contains. Consider the page's topic or task in context.