3.2.3 Consistent Navigation (Level A)
High-Level Description
This success criterion ensures that navigational elements that are repeated across multiple pages appear in the same order and location each time. This helps users predict where to find key menus, links, and where features are located, building familiarity and reducing cognitive effort.
Detailed Description
When navigation elements change position or order, users may struggle to find familiar controls or lose confidence in how the interface behaves.
Applies to:
- Main navigation menus
- Sidebars and footers
- Headers with search or login links
- Repeated site-wide components such as "Contact," "Help," "Back to Home," etc
- Any interface element used across multiple pages for navigation
This allows:
- Users with cognitive, motor, and visual disabilities to navigate efficiently
- Screen reader users to rely on a predictable page structure
- All users to develop mental models of the site layout, improving usability and speed
Indicators of Non-Compliance:
- Navigation menu appears at the top of one page, but on the bottom on another page
- A "Help" link is in a different position or order across pages
- Sidebar menu changes order between sections of the site
- Links swap position or disappear when navigating through similar content
Real-World Examples
| Scenario | Non-Compliant | Compliant |
|---|---|---|
| Top navigation menu | Menu items appear in a different order on the homepage vs. product page. | Menu items like "Home, Services, Contact" appear in the same order site-wide. This reduces confusion and improves scanning for all users. |
| "Help" link in footer | Present on most pages, missing on the checkout page. | Always present in the same footer layout. This ensures consistent access to support. |
| Sidebar section navigation | Items re-ordered based on page-specific logic. | Sidebar maintains consistent item order across all related sections. This supports predictable keyboard navigation. |
| Search box position | In header on desktop, moves unpredictably or disappears entirely on mobile. | Responsive design places search box in consistent drawer or header area across views. This prevents confusion on small-screen devices. |
Disability Impact
| Disability Group | Without Compliance | With Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Disabilities | Must re-learn navigation on each page | Predictable structure reduces cognitive load |
| Blind / Low Vision Users | Screen reader navigation is disrupted and elements become hard to locate | Can skip to known sections and interact efficiently |
| Motor Impairments | Increased effort to locate and reach controls | Repeated interactions are made easier with consistent layout |
| All Users | Less efficient and a more frustrating navigation experience | Faster, more intuitive interaction through familiarity |
Supporting Documentation
- WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 3.2.3 - Consistent Navigation
- G61 – Presenting repeated components in the same relative order
- ARIA Landmarks
Remediation Strategies
1 - Use Shared Templates or Components
Implement shared header, footer, and sidebar templates across the site
2 - Test Across Pages and Viewports
- Verify that navigation:
- Appears in the same place consistently
- Includes the same items
- Follows the same sequence across desktop, mobile, and different content sections
3 - Use ARIA Landmarks Consistently
Apply ARIA roles such as role="navigation" or role="search" in the same way throughout the site to assist screen reader users:
NOTE: ARIA landmarks support consistent navigation but do not replace the need for consistent visual order and placement