Screen Reader Guide

SCREEN READER FOUNDATIONS

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PRACTICE 3 OF 5 · Foundations

Link purpose

Review repeated links and decide whether each destination is clear out of context.

  • Level: Beginner
  • Time: 5-10 minutes
Objective

Check whether link text or its programmatic context communicates the link purpose.

PREPARE

Set up your test

  1. Turn on a screen reader you know how to operate.
  2. Navigate by controls or use Tab where the task asks you to.
  3. Listen for purpose and state, not one exact sequence of spoken words.

WORKING EXAMPLE

Establish the expected behavior

Open your screen reader links list or navigate link by link. Check whether each link purpose is clear.

Expected behavior: each link communicates its destination or action without relying only on visual proximity.

INTENTIONAL DEFECT

Find the barrier

The example below deliberately contains one accessibility defect. Skip the defective example.

Review the links out of context. Determine whether each destination is clear.

Invoice settings

Change billing contacts and invoice delivery.

Read more

Security settings

Update password and two-step verification.

Read more
Hint

A links list may contain only the repeated link text.

End of intentional defect.

DIAGNOSE

Choose the primary cause

Why are the defective links difficult to use?

EXPLANATION

Understand and repair it

Reveal explanation

What happened

The defective links use repeated generic text. Some screen reader workflows present links out of their surrounding visual card, where “Read more” no longer identifies the target.

Repair

Write visible link text that describes the destination. If design constraints require short visible text, add programmatic context carefully and avoid surprising names.

<a href="/settings/invoices/">Edit invoice settings</a>
<a href="/settings/security/">Edit security settings</a>

Retest

  • Navigate link by link and confirm each link purpose is clear.
  • Open the screen reader links list and check repeated labels.
  • Confirm visible text and accessible name do not conflict.

Report it

Example: Multiple settings cards use links named “Read more,” so screen reader users cannot tell which settings page each link opens from a links list.

Standards and support

This exercise describes behavior rather than promising identical speech across screen reader and browser combinations.

Editorially reviewed 20 July 2026.