1.3.6 Identify Purpose (Level AAA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.3.6 Identify Purpose (Level AAA): what it requires, a common e-commerce accessibility failure, and how to fix it.
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
WCAG 2.1 guidelines hub → Perceivable → 1.3.6 Identify Purpose
1.3.6 Identify Purpose (Level AAA)
What it requires: The purpose of UI components, icons, and regions is programmatically determinable, beyond just form inputs — think landmark regions, icon buttons, and navigation purpose.
Common failure: An icon-only “wishlist” heart button has no accessible name or role identifying its purpose beyond a generic <div onclick>.
Fix it: Use semantic landmarks (<nav>, <main>, <header>) and ARIA where native HTML falls short, and give icon-only controls a real accessible name (aria-label="Add to wishlist"), not just a visual icon.
In 1.3 Adaptable: ← 1.3.5 Identify Input Purpose
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This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a person for accuracy before publication.