Resource guide
2.4.5 Multiple Ways
More than one way must be available to locate a page within a website, except for pages that are part of a defined process.
By Calling All Minds·Last updated April 2026
Success criterion
Conformance level
Legal standard — required for EAA compliance.
What it means
Different users find content in different ways. Some use navigation menus, others use search, and others follow links between related pages. Providing multiple routes to the same content means more users can find what they need.
Common mechanisms include: a site navigation menu, a search function, a site map, related links between pages, and breadcrumbs.
In practice
Provide both a navigation menu and a search function on any site with more than a handful of pages.
Ensure internal links connect related content so users can move between related pages without returning to the main navigation.
A site map is a simple additional navigation mechanism for larger sites.
Common failures
- Site with no search function and a navigation menu that only shows top-level categories
- Deep content that can only be reached through a specific path with no links from related pages
The tricky parts
Pages that are part of a defined step-by-step process, such as a checkout flow, are exempt. It would be confusing and potentially harmful to offer multiple routes into step 3 of a 5-step checkout.
AXS Audit
AXS Audit checks your site against 2.4.5 and flags issues your team can act on straight away. It covers criteria that automated scanners often miss.