WCAG 1.3.1 · Level A
Heading Order
- What is broken
- Heading levels skip steps, so the page outline misrepresents how content nests.
- Who it affects
- Screen reader users navigate by headings and landmarks; when the structure is wrong they lose the map of the page.
- How to fix it
- Use heading levels in sequence — do not jump from h2 to h4. Style with CSS rather than by picking a different level.
Check your site for this issue
Free scan — no signup required. Covers WCAG 2.1 AA across 64 rules including this one.
Scan my site →Automated testing detects roughly a third of WCAG 2.1 success criteria. This rule is detected automatically; issues such as keyboard traps, focus order, and screen-reader flow still require manual review. Not legal advice.