Unclear or generic link text

links/generic-name

WCAG success criterion: 2.4.4 (level A)
Outcome class: Hint only. An automated check that by design reports review hints only: its findings are marked for manual review, never as confirmed violations.
Area: Accessibility, Navigation & Operation
Default severity: medium
axe-core rule: link-name

Why we flag this

Screen reader link lists show meaningless text.

Generic link text without context.

What the rule checks

Scope. Rendered links (a[href] or role=link) with a non-empty accessible name.

Expectation. Needs review when the link's accessible name says nothing about the target ("Click here", "Read more"): programmatic context (same sentence, list item, cell, preceding heading) can still make the purpose clear, which is a human judgement — with context the review has low severity. A descriptive accessible name passes, also when it extends the visible text through aria-label or visually hidden text. role=link elements are links too (forms_gap_aria_links).

Source. WCAG 2.2 SC 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context); techniques H80, G53; failure F84

Detection: shared; needs dom, ax_tree.

Failing example

The check flags this for review. Corpus case forms_gap_aria_links, element span#gn-aria-role. The page may contain further findings for other rules.

forms_gap_aria_links.htmlHTML

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Deals</title>
<style>
  body { font-family: sans-serif; color: #222; background: #fff; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 16px; }
  a { color: #0050a0; }
  .skip, nav a, .solo { display: inline-block; padding: 12px; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; box-sizing: border-box; }
  button, input, select, textarea, [role="button"], [role="textbox"], [role="radio"], [role="link"], [role="searchbox"] {
    display: inline-block; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1rem; }
  input[type="checkbox"], input[type="radio"] { width: 44px; height: 44px; }
  .visually-hidden { position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); white-space: nowrap; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<a class="skip" href="#main">Skip to main content</a>
<header><p>Example Shop</p>
<nav aria-label="Main"><a href="/" aria-current="page">Home</a> <a href="/help">Help</a></nav>
</header>
<main id="main">
<h1>Deals</h1>
<!-- G2 #783: 2.4.4 and 2.4.9 apply to every link, native or role=link: the same vague text, bare address and single character as on native links. -->
<p><span id="gn-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/deals'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/deals'">Click here</span></p>
<div><div><ul><li><span id="url-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = 'https://example.org/press'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = 'https://example.org/press'">https://example.org/press</span></li></ul></div></div>
<p><span id="sc-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/close-offer'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/close-offer'">x</span></p>
<p><span id="good-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/deals/bikes'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/deals/bikes'">Bike deals of the week</span></p>
</main>
<footer><p>Example Shop, 2026</p></footer>

</body>
</html>

Passing example

The check reports nothing here. Corpus case forms_gap_aria_links, element span#good-aria-role. The page may contain further findings for other rules.

forms_gap_aria_links.htmlHTML

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Deals</title>
<style>
  body { font-family: sans-serif; color: #222; background: #fff; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0 16px; }
  a { color: #0050a0; }
  .skip, nav a, .solo { display: inline-block; padding: 12px; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; box-sizing: border-box; }
  button, input, select, textarea, [role="button"], [role="textbox"], [role="radio"], [role="link"], [role="searchbox"] {
    display: inline-block; min-height: 44px; min-width: 44px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1rem; }
  input[type="checkbox"], input[type="radio"] { width: 44px; height: 44px; }
  .visually-hidden { position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); white-space: nowrap; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<a class="skip" href="#main">Skip to main content</a>
<header><p>Example Shop</p>
<nav aria-label="Main"><a href="/" aria-current="page">Home</a> <a href="/help">Help</a></nav>
</header>
<main id="main">
<h1>Deals</h1>
<!-- G2 #783: 2.4.4 and 2.4.9 apply to every link, native or role=link: the same vague text, bare address and single character as on native links. -->
<p><span id="gn-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/deals'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/deals'">Click here</span></p>
<div><div><ul><li><span id="url-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = 'https://example.org/press'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = 'https://example.org/press'">https://example.org/press</span></li></ul></div></div>
<p><span id="sc-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/close-offer'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/close-offer'">x</span></p>
<p><span id="good-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/deals/bikes'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/deals/bikes'">Bike deals of the week</span></p>
</main>
<footer><p>Example Shop, 2026</p></footer>

</body>
</html>

This page is generated from the rule catalogue and the rule contracts; see therule overview for how the outcome classes are derived.