Understandable · Level AAA · Introduced in WCAG 2.0
WCAG 3.3.5: Help
Published by whatisADA / Grow Wild Agency · Updated
What this criterion means
At Level AAA, context-sensitive help is available. Users should be able to understand the current task or field without leaving the process to search through unrelated documentation.
A practical example
A tax-identifier field includes a help link explaining where to find the identifier and which format the current application expects. The help opens predictably and preserves the entered form values.
How to check it
- Identify steps and inputs where users may need task-specific assistance.
- Find help relevant to that exact field, question or action.
- Open, read and dismiss the help using keyboard navigation, checking that focus and previously entered data remain intact.
What can be missed
A general contact page can be useful but may not provide the context-sensitive explanation needed here. Help content itself must be understandable and accessible.
Record your test
Use this worksheet to record what you actually checked. Notes stay on this device when you choose Save; they are not sent to us. Avoid personal or confidential information on shared devices.
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.