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Pulseaccessibility

Links Have a Discernible Name

What This Audit Checks

This audit verifies that all <a> elements with an href attribute have an accessible name. The name can come from text content, aria-label, aria-labelledby, or alt text on an image inside the link.

Why It Matters

Links are the backbone of web navigation. Screen reader users often navigate by listing all links on a page. Links without names appear as empty entries or announce only the URL, making it impossible to determine the link's destination or purpose.

How to Fix It

  • Add visible link text that describes the destination or action. Avoid generic text like "click here" or "read more".
  • Use aria-label for icon-only links where visible text is not present.
  • Add alt text to images inside links if the image is the only content.
  • Don't wrap block-level content in a link without ensuring it has a clear accessible name.
<!-- Bad: no accessible name -->
<a href="/dashboard">
  <svg><!-- arrow icon --></svg>
</a>

<!-- Good: aria-label on icon link -->
<a href="/dashboard" aria-label="Go to dashboard">
  <svg><!-- arrow icon --></svg>
</a>

<!-- Good: visible text -->
<a href="/dashboard">Dashboard</a>

<!-- Good: image with alt inside link -->
<a href="/home">
  <img src="/logo.svg" alt="Ciphera home" />
</a>

How Pulse Tracks This

Pulse flags this audit in your Lighthouse accessibility score. When the audit fails, Pulse shows which elements triggered it so you can fix them directly.

Resources