WCAG 1.3.6 Identify Purpose

What WCAG 1.3.6 Requires

AAA only: the purpose of icons, regions and UI components should be programmatically identifiable, for example through ARIA landmarks or the emerging purpose attributes, so assistive technology can adapt its presentation.

How to Test It by Hand

Check that major regions (navigation, search, main content) use identifiable landmark roles beyond basic structure.

Common Failures

• Icons for common actions (cart, search, account) have no identifiable purpose beyond a generic image.

Testing WCAG 1.3.6 With AccessBell

This criterion depends on meaning or context, so it needs a person to judge. AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail automatically, so it is not missed.

Run a free scan to spot issues on your own pages.

Related Criteria in Adaptable

• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.3.3 Sensory Characteristics (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.3.4 Orientation (Level AA, WCAG 2.1)
• 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose (Level AA, WCAG 2.1)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does WCAG 1.3.6 require?

AAA only: the purpose of icons, regions and UI components should be programmatically identifiable, for example through ARIA landmarks or the emerging purpose attributes, so assistive technology can adapt its presentation.

Can AccessBell test WCAG 1.3.6 automatically?

Not fully. This criterion needs a person to judge, so AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail on its own.

What level is WCAG 1.3.6?

Level AAA, added in WCAG 2.1. Level AAA is the highest, most demanding conformance level in WCAG.

Sources

• W3C: Understanding 1.3.6 Identify Purpose (opens in a new tab)
• W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (opens in a new tab)

This page explains a technical standard and is not legal advice. See our disclaimer.