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( Perceivable / WCAG 1.3.1 )

Complex data table is missing a caption

This check maps to Info and Relationships. Use the guidance below to confirm the issue, understand who it affects and ship a fix.

Moderate Level A WCAG 1.3.1 — Info and Relationships

What’s wrong

A complex data table has no caption describing what the table represents.

Why it matters

Screen reader users often jump between tables on long pages. Without captions, they cannot quickly identify the right table.

How to fix it

Use semantic HTML and valid ARIA so assistive technology gets the same state and structure as sighted users. Keep labels and states explicit in markup.

Before
<table>
  <tr><th>Month</th><th>Revenue</th></tr>
  <tr><td>April</td><td>$48k</td></tr>
</table>
After
<table>
  <caption>Monthly revenue for 2026</caption>
  <tr><th>Month</th><th>Revenue</th></tr>
  <tr><td>April</td><td>$48k</td></tr>
</table>

If this pattern is generated by a component, fix it once in the shared component so every instance inherits the accessible behavior.

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