Understandable · Level A · Introduced in WCAG 2.2
WCAG 3.2.6: Consistent Help
Published by whatisADA / Grow Wild Agency · Updated
What this criterion means
When specified help mechanisms repeat across a set of pages, keep their order relative to other content consistent unless the user changes it. This includes human contact, self-help and automated contact routes.
A practical example
An application places Contact support after the main form on every step. Keeping the help route in a predictable place lets someone find assistance without starting over when a difficult question appears.
How to check it
- Identify repeated contact details, contact mechanisms, self-help links and automated help.
- Compare their relative order across pages at the same layout variation.
- Check that responsive or user-customized changes are understood separately from unexplained differences between templates.
What can be missed
The criterion does not require every page to add a new help mechanism. It governs consistency when the listed mechanisms are present and repeated.
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These are your observations, not automated results or a conformance certificate. A complete evaluation needs appropriate scope, supported technologies, all applicable criteria and relevant page states.
Primary sources and scope
This is independent implementation guidance with original examples. The linked standard contains the full definitions, exceptions and conformance requirements. A criterion or checklist alone does not establish legal applicability or whole-site conformance.