Resource guide
2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only)
The purpose of each link must be clear from the link text alone, without relying on surrounding context.
By Calling All Minds·Last updated April 2026
Success criterion
Conformance level
Enhanced accessibility — beyond the legal minimum.
What it means
This is the stricter version of 2.4.4 (Level A). At Level A, link purpose can be determined from context: the surrounding paragraph, list item, or heading. At Level AAA, the link text itself must be sufficient, with no reliance on context.
This matters for users who navigate a page using a list of links, bypassing all surrounding content. Every link must make sense in isolation.
In practice
Every link should describe its destination or action in its visible text alone: 'Download WCAG 2.2 checklist (PDF, 45KB)' rather than 'Download'.
Avoid 'Read more', 'Click here', or 'Learn more' without the subject included in the link text.
Common failures
- 'Read more' links without the topic in the link text
- Image links with alt text that describes the image rather than the destination
AXS Audit
AXS Audit checks your site against 2.4.9 and flags issues your team can act on straight away. It covers criteria that automated scanners often miss.