What this criterion requires
Navigation mechanisms repeated across pages must appear in the same relative order on every page.
Who it helps
People with cognitive disabilities and low-vision users who rely on muscle memory and spatial consistency.
Example: fails vs passes
The main menu lists products in a different order in each site section.
Identical header, menu order and footer on every template.
Spatial memory is an accessibility feature. Add items without reshuffling.
How to meet and fix it
- Keep header, menu order and footer identical across templates
- Add new items without reshuffling existing ones
Common failures auditors find
- Menus that reorder or relocate between sections of the site
Automated scanning catches a share of these instantly - run a free check - and a manual audit covers the judgement calls a tool cannot make.
Sources
- W3C, Understanding 3.2.3: Consistent Navigation - w3.org/WAI
- W3C, How to Meet 3.2.3 (quick reference) - w3.org/WAI/quickref
Last updated . Reviewed by the EqualWeb accessibility team.
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