What This Rule Checks
A web page should only contain one contentinfo landmark, which typically provides information such as contact details, copyright notices, or other footer-related content. Duplicating contentinfo landmarks creates confusion for screen reader users, as they rely on these landmarks to navigate the page effectively.
Who Is Affected
This issue primarily affects: Sighted Keyboard Users users, who can see the screen but navigate exclusively with a keyboard; Blind users, who rely entirely on screen readers or braille displays to navigate and interact with content; Deafblind users, who rely on braille displays and cannot access visual or auditory content.
Why This Matters
Multiple contentinfo landmarks create ambiguity about which footer contains the information users are looking for. Screen readers list both as “contentinfo” without distinction.
How to Fix
To ensure there are no duplicate contentinfo landmarks:
Use Only One Contentinfo Landmark Per Page
The page should contain a single contentinfo landmark, usually marked by the <footer> element or <div role=”contentinfo”>. This ensures that screen readers can easily locate the footer content without encountering duplicate sections.
Remove or Consolidate Duplicate Footers
Code Examples
<!-- Multiple footers at top level -->
<footer>
Site links
</footer>
<footer>
Copyright notice
</footer>
Copy
<!-- Single footer with all content -->
<footer>
<nav>
Site links
</nav>
<p>
Copyright 2025
</p>
</footer>
Copy
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Having multiple top-level <footer> elements that all become contentinfo landmarks.
- Splitting footer content across multiple <footer> elements.
Tip: Landmark regions let screen reader users jump directly to key sections of a page. They serve as the accessibility equivalent of a table of contents for page layout. Label landmarks when multiple of the same type exist.