Multiple Ways
Tier 1 · The normative floor
Baseline compliance
What the normative text of WCAG 2.2 requires, and nothing more. Only a failure of this tier is a WCAG failure.
The bare minimum
There is more than one way to find a page within a set of pages, except pages that are the result of, or a step in, a process.
Normative text
Verbatim from WCAG 2.2, W3C Recommendation 12 December 2024. Underlined terms are defined below.
More than one way is available to locate a web page within a set of web pages except where the web page is the result of, or a step in, a process.
Not required by the normative text
Common claims that this criterion does not support. Don't log these as WCAG failures.
- Site search specifically. Any two ways work, such as navigation, a site map, search, a table of contents or links between pages.
Definitions used (3)
Glossary definitions are normative. Their notes are informative.
- web page
-
a non-embedded resource obtained from a single URI using HTTP plus any other resources that are used in the rendering or intended to be rendered together with it by a user agent
Informative notes (2)
Although any "other resources" would be rendered together with the primary resource, they would not necessarily be rendered simultaneously with each other.
For the purposes of conformance with these guidelines, a resource must be "non-embedded" within the scope of conformance to be considered a web page.
- set of web pages
-
collection of web pages that share a common purpose and that are created by the same author, group or organization
Informative notes (1)
Different language versions would be considered different sets of web pages.
- process
-
series of user actions where each action is required in order to complete an activity
Tier 2 · The gap
Usability & user impact
Where content can meet this criterion and still make things harder for people with disabilities. These are not failures of SC 2.4.5, so raise them as usability defects. Known failures, including failures of related criteria, are listed in Tier 1.
Two ways that both depend on a complex mega-menu don't really give users a choice.
Tier 3 · The golden path
Recommended best practice
The pattern that meets the floor, closes the gap, and avoids audit disputes. A recommendation, not a requirement.
Offer search, clear navigation and a site map or index.
W3C's Understanding document and techniques for SC 2.4.5 ↗ are informative: sufficient techniques show ways to pass, and documented failures show common ways to fail, but neither changes what the criterion requires.
How SC 2.4.5 maps to the WCAG 3 draft
From this site's reviewed map to the WCAG 3 editor's draft. It's an interpretation: W3C has not published a mapping.
No provision in the current draft requires more than one way to find a page.
From WCAG 2.2, section 5.1: “The main content of WCAG 2.2 is normative and defines requirements that impact conformance claims. Introductory material, appendices, sections marked as "non-normative", diagrams, examples, and notes are informative (non-normative). Non-normative material provides advisory information to help interpret the guidelines but does not create requirements that impact a conformance claim.”