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Accessible Link Text Checker

Paste HTML, or just a list of link texts, and see which links would be hard to understand out of context. The checker flags generic text such as “click here” and “read more”, links whose text is a bare URL, empty or icon-only links with no accessible name, over-long links, identical text pointing to different pages, links that open a new window without warning, and visible text that is missing from an aria-label.

Accessibility Runs in your browser

Check Link Text for Accessibility

For a list, write one link per line, for example: Read more | /pricing
Drag and drop an HTML file here, or click to browseAccepted: HTML, HTM. Up to 2 MB.

How to Use the Link Text Checker

  1. Choose whether you are pasting HTML or a plain list, then paste it (or upload an .html file).
  2. Press Check.
  3. Read the table: every link gets a status and, where needed, a recommendation with the WCAG criterion (2.4.4, 2.4.9, 3.2.5 or 2.5.3).
  4. Review the second table for identical texts with different destinations and different texts with the same destination.

About This Tool

Content editors and SEO writers who produce many links, developers reviewing templates, and accessibility testers who check how a page sounds when read as a list of links.

Input: HTML or list of link texts  ·  Output: Table of link findings.

Features and Limitations

Features

  • Extracts links with DOMParser; nothing in the pasted code runs.
  • Computes each link's accessible name from text, image alt, aria-label, aria-labelledby and title.
  • Flags generic phrases, URL-as-text, empty names, length over 100 characters, target="_blank" without a warning, label-in-name mismatches, href="#", and document links with no file type.
  • Cross-link report for duplicate text and duplicate destinations.

Limitations

  • Whether a link text is understandable depends on its context. The checker uses a list of common generic phrases and cannot judge every wording.
  • Links are evaluated as written in the HTML you provide; text added or changed by JavaScript is not seen.
  • In list mode there is no HTML, so checks that need attributes (aria-label, target, rel) are skipped.
  • WCAG 2.4.4 allows links whose purpose is clear from their sentence or paragraph; the checker flags the link and you decide whether the context saves it.
  • Processing happens on your device, so very large files depend on your browser's available memory.

Example

“Read more” appearing twice with different destinations is reported under “Same text, different destinations”. Changing them to “Read more about shipping rates” and “Read more about returns” fixes both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is “click here” a problem?

Screen reader users often pull up a list of all links on the page. A list full of “click here” or “read more” is meaningless. Link text should describe the destination or action on its own. WCAG 2.4.4 (Level A) allows context, 2.4.9 (Level AAA) asks for link-only clarity.

Can two links have the same text?

Yes, if they go to the same place. Identical text for different destinations is confusing and is flagged. Different text that leads to the same destination is only advisory, since sometimes a card has both an image link and a text link.

What is label in name?

WCAG 2.5.3 requires that when a link has an aria-label, it contains the visible text, so that people using speech control can say what they see. A link showing “Cart” with aria-label="Shopping basket" fails this check.

Should every external link warn that it opens a new window?

Opening new windows unexpectedly can disorient people (technique G201 and criterion 3.2.5 at Level AAA). If you use target="_blank", say so in the link text or with visually hidden text, and add rel="noopener".

How long may link text be?

There is no WCAG limit. Very long link text is tiring to hear, so the checker gives advice above 100 characters. Aim for the shortest wording that is still specific.

Related Tools

More like this: all Accessibility tools, all Developer & Web tools or the TinySandy home page.