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Pulseaccessibility

Tables Have Unique Summary and Caption

What This Audit Checks

This audit flags <table> elements where the summary attribute and the <caption> element contain the same text. Both attributes serve different purposes and should not duplicate each other.

Why It Matters

Screen readers announce both the caption and the summary to users. When they contain identical text, the user hears the same information twice, wasting time and creating a confusing experience. The caption should name the table; the summary should describe its structure.

How to Fix It

  • Use <caption> for a short, visible title that describes what the table contains.
  • Use summary for structural guidance that helps screen reader users understand how the table is organized (rows, columns, groupings). Note that summary is obsolete in HTML5 but still read by some assistive technologies.
  • Remove the summary attribute entirely if you are writing HTML5. Use a <caption> and, if needed, a paragraph before the table for structural description.
<!-- Bad: duplicate content -->
<table summary="Quarterly revenue by region">
  <caption>Quarterly revenue by region</caption>
  ...
</table>

<!-- Good: distinct purposes -->
<table>
  <caption>Quarterly revenue by region</caption>
  ...
</table>

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.

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