Notes on applying multiple labels for a control using the label element

While it is conforming to have multiple label elements pointing to a single control for labelling purposes, it is not recommended. It has been conforming as per (X)HTML specifications for many years, but it is not robustly supported. Other techniques such as wrapping the label around text and control and aria-labelledby do the job better and are much better supported in modern browsers and assistive technology.

multiple labels for a control using the label element

Notes, examples and recommendations

Further Reading

HTML5 Accessibility Chops: form control labeling

Categories: Technical

About Steve Faulkner

Steve was the Chief Accessibility Officer at TPGi before he left in October 2023. He joined TPGi in 2006 and was previously a Senior Web Accessibility Consultant at vision australia. Steve is a member of several groups, including the W3C Web Platforms Working Group and the W3C ARIA Working Group. He is an editor of several specifications at the W3C including ARIA in HTML and HTML Accessibility API Mappings 1.0. He also develops and maintains HTML5accessibility and the JAWS bug tracker/standards support.

Comments

Ted Drake says:

How do you feel about using a label and aria-describedby to attach a secondary bit of information. Maybe something like this.
Appointment

Date must be in this format mm/dd/yyyy

It seems to me this would be more appropriate for the secondary information.

Ted Drake says:

My pseudo code didn’t work. Here’s the code snippet ala pastebin. https://pastebin.com/yJw7Dyxb

Steve Faulkner says:

Hi Ted,
In theory, I agree that use of aria-describedby is the better choice, but in practice at the moment, aria-describedby is less robustly supported across AT/browsers/OS’s than aria-labelledby. Also the content in this case will will be recieved by a screen reader user in the same way if either is used i.e. the label and labelledby or the label and describedby, text will be announced when the control recieves focus.