Fix · Serious · cited in audits
How to fix: empty links and image-only links
Screen reader announces "link" with no destination context. Every link needs text content or an aria-label describing its purpose.
- WCAG references
- 2.4.4, 4.1.2
- Severity
- Serious
What it looks like in the wild
Screen reader announces "link" with no destination context.
The screen-reader user, keyboard user, or low-vision user encountering this issue does not get an error message. The page just stops working for them. Which is why this kind of bug rarely shows up in your error tracker; it shows up in support tickets, lawsuits, and abandoned conversions.
Why it fails WCAG
Every link needs text content or an aria-label describing its purpose.
Map this back to 2.4.4, 4.1.2 when you log the bug. Auditors and procurement teams expect that mapping; "broken" is not enough context.
The wrong pattern (avoid)
<a href="/cart"><img src="/cart.svg"></a>The right pattern (copy this)
<a href="/cart" aria-label="View cart with 3 items">
<img src="/cart.svg" alt="">
</a>Related fixes
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