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Level AWCAG 2.0

2.4.2 Page Titled

Web pages have titles that describe topic or purpose.

Last reviewed: September 9, 2026

Understanding 2.4.2

The page title is typically the first thing announced by a screen reader when a page loads, and it is what appears in a browser tab, bookmark, or search result. A descriptive, unique title helps every user confirm they are in the right place, and it is especially critical for screen reader users and people with several tabs or windows open who rely on the title to reorient themselves without re-reading the whole page.

How to Meet It

Give every page a `<title>` element that describes its specific topic or purpose, not a generic placeholder. Titles should be unique across the site and typically follow a consistent pattern such as 'Page Topic - Site Name'. In single-page applications, update `document.title` programmatically whenever the visible view changes (e.g. on route change), since the browser will not do this automatically.

Code Examples

INCORRECT
<title>Untitled Document</title>
CORRECT
<title>Contact Us - Acme Consulting</title>

Frequently Asked Questions

My app is a single-page application. How do I meet this criterion when the URL doesn't change?

You must update document.title with JavaScript every time the user navigates to a new view, even if the browser URL stays the same or only the fragment/route changes. Many SPA frameworks and routers provide hooks or built-in components specifically for this (e.g. a route-level title prop), and updating the title also helps screen readers announce the new view.

What order should the parts of a title go in?

Put the most specific, page-unique information first (e.g. the article headline or form name) followed by the site or brand name. This matters because when many tabs are open, browsers often truncate the end of long titles, so the unique part should not be the part that gets cut off.

Related Success Criteria

2.4.1 Bypass Blocks2.4.3 Focus Order2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)2.4.5 Multiple Ways

Quick Facts

  • Criterion2.4.2
  • LevelA
  • IntroducedWCAG 2.0

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