Heading Order Check
Use headings to describe document structure without skipping levels solely for visual styling.
Check your websiteWhy this check matters
Headings let screen-reader users navigate sections and help every reader scan the page. Semantic hierarchy should reflect content relationships, not font size.
Passing evidence
<h1>Audit report</h1>
<h2>SEO</h2>
<h3>Canonical tag</h3>Common failing evidence
<h1>Audit report</h1>
<h4>Canonical tag</h4>Possible false positives
- A component reused under different sections may need a context-aware heading level.
- The HTML outline algorithm does not repair confusing author intent.
How to fix it safely
- Give the page one clear primary heading.
- Nest section headings in logical order.
- Use CSS classes, not heading levels, to control appearance.
How to verify the fix
- Review the headings as a text-only outline.
- Navigate by heading with a screen reader or accessibility inspector.
Related Accessibility checks
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Check this signal together with the related category evidence on the current public page.
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