Empty link

Impact: Major

Users mainly impacted: Blind, severely visually impaired, visually impaired, motor impaired.

Explanation

When a link has no text, it is not read in the technical assistance or indicated as empty. A common error is to display an icon without alternative in a link. It is therefore important to provide a text link for each link.

In the absence of explicit headings, people with motor disabilities, who navigate by voice, may have to perform a lot of action to test the links, which can make the use of the page excessively complex.

Without an explicit link text, people with mental or cognitive disabilities may be unable to understand and use them.

The title of the link alone is not allowed.

What not to do

<a href="#" class="fas fa-home"></a>

A good way to do it

Home

<a href="#">
    <span class="fas fa-home" aria-hidden="true" title="Home"></span>
    <span class="sr-only">Home</span>
</a>

How to integrate icons in an accessible way.

Image alone in a link

When an image is alone in a link, it is necessary to provide an alternative so as not to have an empty link.