Ensure each page has a descriptive and unique title
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Accessibility isn't just about avoiding violations — it's about ensuring that everyone can use your product with confidence. This guide explains each rule's intent, highlights common issues, and shows how to fix them according to WCAG and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
These guidelines do not replace the official WCAG standards. They’re concise, developer-focused notes to help you identify and fix issues effectively.
Every page must have a unique, descriptive title that clearly conveys its content or purpose.
Overview
Why this matters
The page title is the first orientation cue announced by screen readers and the primary label shown in browser tabs and history. Reused or vague titles make navigation between open pages slow and error-prone.
How to fix this issue
Set a unique, descriptive `<title>` in `<head>` for every view. Include the specific page purpose plus product/site name, and update it whenever route state changes.
Developer Guidance
Define a centralized title strategy in your router/layout layer (for example: `<Feature or Record> | <Section> | <Product>`). For SPAs, compute title from route params and async data once loaded, then update `document.title` reliably on navigation. Add automated checks so no route ships with default placeholders like 'Home' or 'Untitled'.
Code Examples
Incorrect Implementation
<title>Dashboard</title>Correct Implementation
<title>Audit Results | Project Acme | GetWCAG</title>Real-World Implementation
Before
Three open tabs all show `<title>Dashboard</title>` for Overview, Reports, and Settings. Users cannot identify the correct tab quickly.After
Tabs show distinct titles: `<title>Overview | GetWCAG</title>`, `<title>Audit Results | GetWCAG</title>`, `<title>Billing Settings | GetWCAG</title>`.Manual Testing
- 1. Navigate to each major route and inspect the browser tab title.
- 2. Confirm each title uniquely identifies the current page purpose.
- 3. In SPA flows, change routes without full page reload and verify the title updates each time.
- 4. With a screen reader on, load each page and confirm the announced title matches visible context.
- 5. Open several pages in separate tabs and ensure users can distinguish them from titles alone.
Related Operable Rules
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