ARIA APG Guide

Understandable / 3.2 Predictable

3.2.6Consistent Help

Level ANew in 2.2

When contact information or help links appear on multiple pages, place them in the same relative order and position on each page.

New success criterion added in WCAG 2.2

This criterion was introduced in WCAG 2.2 and was not part of WCAG 2.1. Refer to the links below for detailed guidance.

Why is "Consistent Help" needed?

When using a web service and thinking "I don't know how to do this" or "I need to contact support," where do you look for the help button? The expectation that "it's probably in the top-right corner of the header"is broken every time the help location changes from page to page.

This success criterion exists to prevent that. If you provide help mechanisms (contact information, chat, FAQ links, etc.) across multiple pages, they must be placed in the same relative position and order on every page.

The following users are particularly affected:

  • People with cognitive or learning disabilities — the cognitive cost of searching for help on every page is significant.
  • People with memory difficulties — they cannot rely on remembering "it was here on the previous page."
  • First-time visitors — they are likely to get stuck before understanding the navigation structure.

Note

This criterion is not about a specific UI component — it's about site-wide layout conventions. It doesn't say "create a help link"; it says "if you provide one, keep its location consistent." Sites that provide no help at all are not subject to this criterion.

Failing Example (Location Varies)

Here are 3 mini pages side by side. Notice where the Help / Contact link is placed on each.

Help location varies from page to page
ProductsHelp

Home Page

← Help is top-right

Cart

Product Detail Page

Contact

↑ Moved to below the content

Cart

Checkout Page

No help link at all

The help location changes on each page, requiring users to search for it. The third page has no help link at all.

Passing Example (Same Position on Every Page)

The same 3 pages, but this time every page has the Help link in the same top-right position.

Help is in the same top-right position on every page
ProductsHelpContact

Home Page

↑ Help is fixed top-right

CartHelpContact

Product Detail Page

↑ Same position, same order

CartHelpContact

Checkout Page

↑ Same even during checkout

Help is always in the same top-right position on every page, making it easy to find.

Implementation Approach (Code)

The most reliable approach is to embed help links in a shared layout (header component). If all pages use the same header, position and order are naturally consistent.

Good / Recommended

Place Help and Contact links at the end of the <nav> inside a shared <header>, and reuse the same component across all pages. The golden rule: manage help links in the layout, not in individual page templates.

<!-- ✓ Shared layout (applied to all pages) -->
<header class="site-header">
  <a href="/" class="site-logo">MyShop</a>
  <nav aria-label="Global navigation">
    <a href="/products">Products</a>
    <a href="/cart">Cart</a>
    <!-- Help links are fixed at the end of nav -->
    <a href="/help">Help</a>
    <a href="/contact">Contact</a>
  </nav>
</header>

<!-- Page-specific content follows -->
<main>…</main>

Bad / Avoid

Common mistakes: placing help in different locations per page / omitting it on some pages

  • The home page has a Help link in the top-right header, but the product detail page has it at the bottom of the content
  • The checkout flow pages omit the Help link entirely
  • Users cannot find it without searching, adding cognitive overhead when they need help
  • Users with cognitive or learning disabilities, and first-time visitors, are particularly affected

Tip

If the user customizes the help location themselves (e.g., a draggable widget), that is treated as an exception. The site doesn't need to override user-chosen positions. Also, if help exists only on specific pages, this criterion does not apply (it applies only when help is provided across multiple pages).

What Counts as "Help"?

WCAG 2.2 defines the following as "help mechanisms." Only those actually provided by the site are in scope — you don't need to offer all of them.

  • Contact details for human support — phone number, email address, business hours, etc.
  • Human support mechanisms — live chat, chatbot, contact form, etc.
  • Self-help options — FAQ, help pages, support articles, etc.
  • Fully automated contact mechanisms — a form that sends an email upon submission, etc.

For example, if a site only provides a "link to the FAQ page," the criterion is met as long as that link is in the same relative position on every page.

Checklist

  • All help mechanisms provided (contact, chat, FAQ, etc.) have been listed
  • They are placed in the same relative position on every page
  • When multiple help mechanisms are listed, their order is the same on every page
  • Help links are managed in a shared header/footer/layout component (not written per page)
  • Checkout flows, registration flows, and other "special pages" also have help in the same position, or any intentional omission has been verified against the criterion
  • User-customized positions are not overridden by the site

Normative References