2.4.8 Location
Level AAA · added in WCAG 2.0
Show people where the current page sits within your site. Breadcrumbs, a highlighted current item in the navigation, or a sitemap that marks the current page all work. This is a level AAA criterion.
Who it helps
People with attention or memory difficulties can lose track of where they are after following a few links. Screen reader users also benefit when the current page is announced in the navigation.
How to meet it
- Add a breadcrumb trail that shows the path from the home page to the current page.
- Mark the current page in the navigation with aria-current="page" and a visible style, not color alone.
- Write page titles and main headings that name the section as well as the page, such as "Billing - Account settings".
- In a multi-step process, show the current step, such as "Step 2 of 4".
- Level AAA isn't required by most laws or policies, which point to AA. It's still worth meeting, and breadcrumbs are usually cheap to add.
Examples
<nav aria-label="Main">
<a href="/">Home</a>
<a href="/guides/">Guides</a>
<a href="/pricing/">Pricing</a>
</nav><nav aria-label="Breadcrumb">
<ol>
<li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="/guides/">Guides</a></li>
<li><a href="/guides/forms/" aria-current="page">Accessible forms</a></li>
</ol>
</nav>nav a[aria-current="page"] {
font-weight: 700;
text-decoration: underline;
text-underline-offset: 4px;
}Can a scanner detect this?
No
axe-core has no rule for location, because a script cannot tell whether a page shows its place in the site. You need to look at each page template and check for breadcrumbs, a marked current item or a similar cue.
No automated rule tests this criterion. Check it by hand.
Common mistakes
- Marking the current page visually but not with aria-current, so screen reader users miss it.
- Marking the current page only with a color change that is hard to notice.
- Making the last breadcrumb item an unmarked link, so it is unclear that it is the current page.
- Using identical page titles across a section, so the title says nothing about location.
Related criteria
Check your own page
See which automated WCAG checks your page fails, with the failing elements and how to fix them.
Reviewed November 2, 2026