Consistent Help
WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 3.2.6, Level A. If a help mechanism repeats across pages, it appears in the same order relative to other content.
What it requires
A “set of web pages” is a collection of pages that share a common purpose and the same author or organization (Source: W3C, Understanding SC 3.2.6 ) . The criterion does not require help to exist; it only constrains the order when help is present and repeated.
What counts as help
- Human contact details: a phone number, email address, or hours of operation.
- Human contact mechanism: a messaging system, chat client, contact form, or social media channel.
- Self-help option: an up-to-date FAQ, a “how do I” page, or a support page.
- Fully automated contact mechanism: a chatbot.
Who it helps
Primarily people with cognitive and learning disabilities. A human contact option lets them describe what they need in their own words, which for some is the most reliable route to an answer. Predictable placement also conserves energy for people who experience cognitive fatigue, and it keeps users from abandoning a task because they could not find help.
How to meet it
Keep each repeated help item in the same serialized order relative to other page content across the set of pages. The sufficient technique is G220: providing a contact-us link in a consistent location (Source: W3C Technique G220 ) .
“Same order relative to other content” refers to reading order, not pixel position. If a help link is the last item in the header on one page, it should be in the same relative position on the other pages in the set.
Edge cases
- Responsive layouts: consistency is judged within the same page variation, meaning the same breakpoint, zoom, and orientation.
- User-initiated change: the only allowed inconsistency is one the user causes, such as changing zoom or orientation that triggers a different layout. Navigating between pages is not user-initiated.
- Static documents: the criterion does not require help on PDFs or other static documents, and it does not require a human to be available at all times.
How to test it
- Identify any of the four help mechanisms on a page.
- Across the set of pages (same organization, common purpose), confirm each repeated mechanism appears in the same relative order at the same page variation.
- If the relative order differs between pages with no user-initiated change, it fails.
Common questions
Does Consistent Help mean I have to add a help feature?
No. It only applies if you already offer one of the covered help mechanisms. If you do, and it repeats across pages, it must appear in a consistent relative order.
Is it about visual position or source order?
It is about the order relative to other page content, meaning the serialized reading order. An item placed visually elsewhere but in the same source order still passes.
Does navigating to another page count as a user-initiated change?
No. Moving between pages does not exempt you from consistency. Neither does logging in or out, unless that presents a genuinely distinct set of pages.