The page title must describe the page

Rule document-title-descriptive · Document, language & navigation · impact serious · Static + live

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Why it matters#

The title is the first thing a screen reader announces and the label a user scans when a dozen tabs are open. A placeholder left over from a template ("Untitled document", "index") identifies nothing, so users cannot tell one page of the site from another without reading into the content.

How to fix#

Give every page a unique title naming its own content, conventionally "Page topic — Site name".

Example#

<title>Untitled document</title>

<title>Contact us — Acme</title>

WCAG success criteria#

2.4.2 Page Titled — Level A#

Each page needs a descriptive <title> that identifies its topic or purpose.

Understanding 2.4.2

Standards#

This rule contributes to the following standards:

WCAG A EN 301 549

References#

• WCAG — Page Titled