Skip to main content

Link Accessibility: Best Practices for Inclusive Hyperlinks

Accessible links ensure that all users, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and interact with web content.

Link Accessibility: Best Practices for Inclusive Hyperlinks

Shawn Sandy (Ally.Cafe) ~

Links, defined by the <a> (anchor) element with the href attribute, are fundamental to web navigation. They enable users to move from one page or section to another, download resources, or trigger specific actions. Ensuring that links are accessible is crucial for an inclusive web experience, allowing all users, including those with disabilities, to navigate web content effectively.

Accessible links ensure that all users, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and interact with web content. This is especially important for users who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers, keyboard navigation, or voice commands. Accessible links contribute to a positive user experience, improve usability, and comply with legal requirements and standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Relevant WCAG 2.2 Guidelines

The WCAG 2.2 guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for making web content accessible. Several success criteria within these guidelines apply specifically to links:

1.4.1 Use of Color (Level A)

  • Guideline: Color should not be the only visual means of conveying information.
  • Purpose: To ensure that users who cannot perceive color differences can still identify links.

2.1.1 Keyboard (Level A)

  • Guideline: All functionality must be operable through a keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes.
  • Purpose: To ensure that users who cannot use a mouse can still navigate and interact with links using a keyboard.
  • Guideline: The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its context.
  • Purpose: To help users understand the destination or function of a link without needing additional context.

2.4.7 Focus Visible (Level AA)

  • Guideline: Any keyboard operable user interface has a mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible.
  • Purpose: To help users who navigate via keyboard to see which element has focus, making it easier to interact with links.

4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (Level A)

  • Guideline: For all user interface components (including links), the name and role can be programmatically determined, and states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set and notified to the user agents, including assistive technologies.
  • Purpose: To ensure that assistive technologies can accurately convey the link’s purpose and status to users.

  1. Use Clear and Descriptive Text:

    • Ensure that link text clearly describes the destination or action. Avoid using generic text like “click here” or “read more.”
    <a href="https://example.com/product-details">View Product Details</a>

  2. Provide Context:

    • If the link text alone is not descriptive enough, provide additional context within the surrounding text.
    For more information, visit the <a href="https://example.com/accessibility-guide">accessibility guide</a>.

  3. Keyboard Accessibility:

    • Make sure links can be focused and activated using the keyboard.
    <a href="https://example.com" tabindex="0">Home</a>

  4. Visible Focus:

    • Ensure that links have a visible focus indicator when they are focused via keyboard navigation.
    a:focus {
  outline: 2px solid blue;
}

  5. Use ARIA When Necessary:

    • Use ARIA attributes to enhance link accessibility when necessary. For example, use aria-label to provide additional information.
    <a href="https://example.com" aria-label="Home page">Home</a>

Conclusion

By following these guidelines and best practices, you can ensure that links on your website are accessible to all users. This not only improves usability and user experience but also helps you comply with important accessibility standards like WCAG 2.2.

Here are some useful resources to learn more about accessible links and web accessibility in general:

By implementing these practices and leveraging these resources, you can create web content that is accessible and inclusive for all users.

Found an error, typo, or bug please edit on github or open an issue or ticket

Edit on Github Open an issue