WCAG 2.0 · Level AA · Operable
2.4.6 Headings and Labels
Headings and labels describe their topic or purpose. A heading should help people understand the section that follows; a control label should help people understand the control's purpose.
Manual verification
How to validate 2.4.6 by hand
Review whether headings and labels describe their topic or purpose in context.
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.
- Read headings in the page outline and compare each with the section that follows.
- Review labels for forms and controls, including repeated controls, and decide whether a user can tell their purpose.
- Check headings and labels in error, expanded, and responsive states where the surrounding context changes.
Evidence to record
Record the heading/label, associated content or control, and the misleading or missing information.
Scope and exceptions
This criterion concerns descriptive wording. Proper heading semantics, label association, and accessible names are separate checks and do not prove that the wording is meaningful.
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
Descriptive headings and labels help people scan, navigate, and understand a page. They are especially useful to people who navigate by headings or who benefit from clear descriptions of a control's purpose.
Examples and distinctions
Section heading
A heading such as “Shipping options” is more informative than “More information” when the section describes delivery methods.
Control label
A label such as “Search products” communicates the purpose more clearly than a generic “Go” label.
Context matters
A short label can be clear when the surrounding context makes its purpose unambiguous. Review labels in context rather than judging wording in isolation.