WCAG 2.0 · Level AAA · Operable
2.4.8 Location
Manual verification
How to validate 2.4.8 by hand
At Level AAA, check whether users can determine their location within a set of web pages.
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.
- Navigate to representative pages through the site’s menus, search, and hierarchical sections.
- Check for a breadcrumb, current-section indicator, or other location cue that identifies where the page sits in the site.
- Use the cue to move to a parent or related area and confirm it reflects the current page after navigation.
Evidence to record
Record the page set, location cue, and whether the cue identifies the current position clearly.
Scope and exceptions
This is a Level AAA location criterion; it is distinct from page titles, navigation consistency, and the active-state indication required by other criteria.
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.