Unclear or generic link text

links/url-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) whose accessible name is a bare address.

Expectation. Needs review when the link text is a bare URL ("https://...", "www....") and no programmatic context (text in the same sentence or container, or a heading before it within four levels) explains the target: read aloud it is a string of characters that does not say what is there. With context it is not reported. role=link elements are links too (forms_gap_aria_links).

Source. WCAG 2.2 SC 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context); technique H80

Detection: shared; needs dom, ax_tree.

Failing example

The check flags this for review. Corpus case forms_gap_aria_links, element span#url-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_link_names, element a#url-context. The page may contain further findings for other rules.

forms_link_names.htmlHTML

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Links and buttons</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>Links and buttons</h1>
<!-- G2 #783: links and buttons with and without an accessible name (4.1.2, 2.4.4), every naming mechanism, link text that does not say where it goes (2.4.4 in context, 2.4.9 on its own), bare URLs, single characters, unannounced new windows (G201) and links used as buttons. -->
<h2>Names</h2>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-empty" href="/cart"></a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-icon" href="/account"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg></a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-aria" href="/account" aria-label="Your account"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg></a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-img-alt" href="/"><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' width='44' height='44'%3E%3Crect width='44' height='44' fill='%230050a0'/%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="Shop home" width="44" height="44"></a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-sr" href="/cart"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg><span class="visually-hidden">Shopping cart</span></a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ln-labelledby" href="/wishlist" aria-labelledby="wl-label"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg></a><span id="wl-label" hidden>Wish list</span></p>
<p><a id="ln-anchor" name="top"></a></p>
<p><span id="ln-aria-role" role="link" tabindex="0" onclick="location.href = '/cart'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/cart'"></span></p>
<p><span id="ln-aria-role-named" role="link" tabindex="0" aria-label="Order history" onclick="location.href = '/orders'" onkeydown="if (event.key === 'Enter') location.href = '/orders'"></span></p>
<p><button id="bn-empty" type="button"></button></p>
<p><button id="bn-icon" type="button"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg></button></p>
<p><span id="bn-aria-empty" role="button" tabindex="0"></span></p>
<p><input id="bn-input-empty" type="button" value=""></p>
<p><button id="bn-aria" type="button" aria-label="Close the banner"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="44" height="44" viewBox="0 0 24 24"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="8" fill="currentColor"/></svg></button></p>
<p><button id="bn-text" type="button">Add to cart</button></p>
<p><input id="bn-submit-default" type="submit" form="none-form"></p>
<p><span id="bn-aria-named" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="Show sizes"></span></p>

<h2>Link purpose</h2>
<article>
  <h3>Bike lanes extended</h3>
  <p>The city adds twelve kilometres of bike lanes this summer.</p>
  <a class="solo" id="gn-context" href="/news/bike-lanes">Read more</a>
</article>
<p><a class="solo" id="gn-bare" href="/offers">Click here</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="gn-good" href="/offers">Spring offers for bikes</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="plo-open" href="/brochure.pdf">Open</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="gn-aria-label" href="/news/parks" aria-label="Read more about the new parks">Read more</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="gn-sr" href="/news/trams">Read more<span class="visually-hidden"> about the new trams</span></a></p>
<div><div><ul><li><a class="solo" id="url-bare" href="https://example.org/report-2026">https://example.org/report-2026</a></li></ul></div></div>
<p>Download the annual report at <a id="url-context" href="https://example.org/report">https://example.org/report</a>.</p>
<p><a class="solo" id="sc-x" href="/close-offer">x</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="sc-two" href="/de">DE</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="sc-digit" href="/page/2">2</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="nw-bare" href="https://example.org/partner" target="_blank">Partner programme</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="nw-told" href="https://example.org/terms" target="_blank">Partner terms (opens in new tab)</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="nw-aria" href="https://example.org/press" target="_blank" aria-label="Press kit, opens in new window">Press kit</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="nw-self" href="https://example.org/jobs" target="_self">Jobs at the partner</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ub-hash" href="#" onclick="openChat(); return false;">Chat with us</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ub-js" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="window.print()">Print this page</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ub-role" href="#" role="button" onclick="openChat(); return false;">Open the chat</a></p>
<p><a class="solo" id="ub-real" href="/chat" onclick="track()">Chat page</a></p>
<div id="chat" hidden><p>Chat is offline.</p></div>
</main>
<footer><p>Example Shop, 2026</p></footer>
<script>
  function openChat() { document.getElementById('chat').hidden = false; }
  function track() {}
</script>
</body>
</html>

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