Skip link
A link, usually hidden until focused, that lets keyboard and screen reader users jump past repeated navigation to the main content.
Tab reveals the skip link first
Most pages start with a logo, primary nav, and search before the main content. Without a skip link, keyboard users have to Tab through every nav item on every page load. The skip link appears as the first focusable element on the page and, when activated, moves focus to `#main` or similar. It is typically positioned off-screen with CSS and revealed only when focused. WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip repeated content, and a skip link is the standard solution.
Also called
skip to contentskip navigationbypass block
When to use
- Any page with primary navigation before the main content
- Sites with sticky headers, sidebars, or other repeated regions
- Long pages where Tab order would be punishing
When not to use
- Single-purpose pages with no repeated regions
- Skip links that don't actually move focus when activated
- As a substitute for proper landmark structure
Related
Source
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks). The pattern is documented by WebAIM, MDN, and most accessibility guides.