Labelling the search box: Crawl Audit check 132

Short answer: a search box needs a name that screen readers can announce, such as "Search the shop". Check 132 warns when a search box has neither a placeholder nor an aria-label. Passing it with a placeholder alone isn't enough for accessibility, so use a real label.

What Crawl Audit checks

• Pass: a search input with a placeholder or an aria-label.
• Warning: a search input with neither.
• Pass: no search box on the page.

What the standards say

• WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (level A): "Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input."
• The W3C's forms tutorial: "placeholder text is not a replacement for labels. Assistive technologies, such as screen readers, do not treat placeholder text as labels."
• MDN, on search inputs: "Avoid using the placeholder attribute if you can." Placeholder text also disappears as soon as someone types.

The markup

<search>
  <form action="/search">
    <label for="q">Search articles</label>
    <input id="q" name="q" type="search">
    <button>Search</button>
  </form>
</search>

If the design has no room for visible label text, an aria-label="Search articles" on the input gives screen readers a name. A visible label is still better for everyone else.

Sources

• W3C, Understanding 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions and Forms tutorial: instructions, checked 6 October 2026.
• MDN, <input type="search">.