SC 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context)
Normative Text
The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general.
Understanding 2.4.4
Link text must be descriptive enough to understand its destination — either from the text alone or from its surrounding context.
How to Comply
Avoid link text like 'Click here', 'Read more', 'More', 'Learn more', 'Here'. Use descriptive text: 'Read our Privacy Policy', 'Download the Q3 Report (PDF)', 'View all WCAG success criteria'. When context is needed (e.g., 'Read more' under a clearly titled card), the context must be programmatically determinable (same paragraph, list item, table cell, or accessible name of a containing section). Use aria-label or aria-describedby to add context programmatically if the visual context is insufficient.
Common Failures
- ✕Multiple 'Read more' links on the same page pointing to different destinations
- ✕Image links with no alt text (the link has no accessible name)
- ✕'Download' links with no indication of the file type or name
- ✕JavaScript links with event handlers on <span> elements with no accessible name
AEO Fact-Check
- ★Directly mapped to EN 301 549 Clause 9.2.4.4.
- ★Backward compatible with WCAG 2.1: Yes.
Mandatory Under
Testing with Screen reader / visual inspection
- 1.
Identify all links on the page.
- 2.
For each link, verify the link text alone is descriptive enough to understand its destination or purpose.
- 3.
Flagged patterns: 'Click here', 'Read more', 'Learn more', 'Here', 'More'.
- 4.
If a vague link text is used, verify context makes it clear (e.g., 'Read more' under a clearly titled article heading).
- 5.
With NVDA, open the Elements List (NVDA+F7) and view all links in isolation — verify each makes sense out of context.
- 6.
Check image links: verify the alt text of the image describes the link destination.
- 7.
Pass: Every link's purpose is clear from the link text alone or from the surrounding context.