The “Inadequate Adjacent Links Check” evaluates whether there are sets of adjacent anchor (<a>) elements that link to the exact same destination (e.g., href="/").
Example outcome
I found 1 set of adjacent links pointing to the same destination.
Impact
Visual Impairments: Screen readers will read each link individually, so two identical adjacent links (e.g., an image and a text link both going to the same place) will be announced twice. This redundancy leads to frustration and cognitive overload without offering additional value.
Motor Impairments: Keyboard and switch users must navigate through each link individually, so adjacent duplicates create extra, unnecessary tab stops.
Cognitive Disabilities: Repetition of navigation elements can be confusing as users may think each link serves a different purpose. Additionally, inconsistent structure can cause disorientation.
Fixes
To address inadequate adjacent links:
Identify the links that point to the same destination.
If an image and text are both links to the same place, wrap both in a single anchor element.
If they’re both text, combine or remove the redundant link. Only one is needed.