Headings are structural elements that introduce sections of content and establish the outline of a document. They help all users—especially those using screen readers—understand how a page is organized and navigate it efficiently.

Importantly, headings are not a tool for visual emphasis. They must be used to convey structure—not to make text bold, large or eye-catching. If you want to emphasize a word or phrase, use formatting like bold or italics, not heading styles.

Impact

Most people scan a webpage to find what they need. Screen reader users do the same by pulling up a list of headings and jumping to the section they want. This only works if headings are used correctly and consistently.

When headings are misused (e.g., skipped levels or used for emphasis), screen reader users may miss important content or struggle to understand the page’s structure. When headings are missing altogether, users may be forced to listen to the entire page line by line. The same problem occurs when headings are only visual. If text is bolded or enlarged to look like a heading but isn’t marked up as a true heading, screen readers won’t recognize it. In both cases, users may be forced to listen to the entire page line by line, unable to navigate efficiently.

Proper use of headings improves:

  • Navigation for screen reader users.
  • Scanability for all users.
  • Maintainability for content creators.

How to use headings effectively

Think of headings like an outline. They show how content is grouped and nested.

  • Heading 1: The page or document title (used only once).
  • Heading 2: Main sections.
  • Heading 3: Subsections under Heading 2.
  • Heading 4: Subsections under Heading 3, and so on.

Key principles

  • Use true heading styles: Apply headings using your content editor’s built-in heading options (e.g., in Word, Google Docs, or Canvas).
  • Ensure headings are visually distinct and have a clear hierarchy of style: Headings should be larger in size than text content and should reduce in size with each level (e.g., Heading 2 should be larger in size than Heading 3).
  • Follow a logical order: Don’t skip heading levels (e.g., don’t jump from Heading 2 to Heading 4).
  • Be descriptive: Headings should clearly indicate what the section is about.
  • Use headings for structure, not style: Never use a heading just to make text look bold or large.

Examples

Correct use:

  • Heading 1: “Course Syllabus”
    • Heading 2: “Course Objectives”
    • Heading 2: “Assignments”
      • Heading 3: “Weekly Reflections”
      • Heading 3: “Final Project”

Incorrect use:

  • Using Heading 2 to emphasize a sentence in the middle of a paragraph.
  • Skipping from Heading 2 to Heading 4 without a Heading 3.
  • Using bold text instead of a heading to introduce a new section.

When headings are missing or misused

If a page lacks headings or uses them inconsistently screen reader users may struggle to understand the structure or skip important content. This can lead to frustration, confusion or even abandonment of the page.

The same problem occurs when headings are only visual. If text is bolded or enlarged to look like a heading but isn’t marked up as a true heading, screen readers won’t recognize it. In both cases, users may be forced to listen to the entire page line by line, unable to navigate efficiently.

To check your work:

  • Use built-in accessibility checkers (e.g., in Word or Canvas).
  • Use the Navigation sidebar in Word to view the document outline.
  • Use tools like Pope Tech for Canvas to view the heading outline.
  • Ask yourself: “Could someone understand the structure of this page just by reading the headings?”.