WCAG 2.4.2: Page Titled
Web pages must have titles that describe their topic or purpose. The title element appears in the browser tab, bookmarks, and search results, helping users identify and navigate between pages.
What is WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled?
WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled is a Level A web accessibility success criterion under the Operable principle. Web pages must have titles that describe their topic or purpose. The title element appears in the browser tab, bookmarks, and search results, helping users identify and navigate between pages. Common failures include missing <title> element and generic titles like 'home' or 'page' without site context. Meeting this criterion is essential for accessible, inclusive web design.
How to Test
- ✓ Check that every page has a <title> element in the <head>
- ✓ Verify the title accurately describes the page content
- ✓ Ensure titles are unique across the site — no two pages share the same title
- ✓ Check that titles are concise but descriptive (generally under 60 characters)
- ✓ For SPAs, verify the title updates when the route changes
Common Failures
- ✗ Missing <title> element
- ✗ Generic titles like 'Home' or 'Page' without site context
- ✗ All pages using the same title
- ✗ Titles that do not describe the page content
- ✗ SPA pages that do not update the title on navigation
✓ Good Example
<!-- Descriptive, unique title --> <title>Contact Us — Acme Corporation</title> <!-- Product page --> <title>Wireless Headphones XR-500 — Acme Store</title>
Each title clearly identifies the page content and includes the site name. They are unique and descriptive.
✗ Bad Example
<!-- Generic/missing title --> <title>Home</title> <!-- Or no title at all --> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <!-- No title element --> </head>
The first title is too generic to identify the page among many browser tabs. The second example has no title element at all.
Test Your Site for 2.4.2 Compliance
Use our free accessibility tools to check your website against WCAG 2.4.2.
Open Testing Tool