--- title: HTML lang Attribute | Accessibility Rule description: " element must have a lang attribute. Why the html-has-lang rule fails (WCAG 2.0, serious impact), how to fix it and how to catch it with TestingBot." source_url: html: https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/html-has-lang md: https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/html-has-lang.md --- # Ensure every HTML document has a lang attribute Rule ID: html-has-lang User Impact: serious Guidelines: WCAG 2.0 Ensure that the `` element includes a `lang` attribute to specify the primary language of the document. ## About This Rule This rule ensures that the `` element contains a valid `lang` attribute, facilitating proper language identification for assistive technologies and enhancing accessibility for multilingual users. ## Why It Matters Screen readers and other assistive technologies rely on the `lang` attribute to determine the language of the content, enabling accurate pronunciation and interpretation. Without this attribute, users may experience incorrect pronunciation, leading to confusion and a diminished user experience. ## How to Fix To specify the primary language of your document: - Add a `lang` attribute to the `` element with a valid language code. For example, for English: ```html ``` - For regional dialects, use appropriate language codes, such as "en-US" for American English or "fr-CA" for Canadian French. - If the document contains sections in different languages, specify the language for those sections using the `lang` attribute on the relevant elements: ```html

This is an English paragraph.

Este es un párrafo en español.

``` - For languages written right-to-left, also include the `dir` attribute: ```html

نص باللغة العربية هنا

``` ## Other Rules Interested in other web accessibility rules? Please see these other rules: - [html-lang-valid](https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/html-lang-valid) - [html-xml-lang-mismatch](https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/html-xml-lang-mismatch) - [image-alt](https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/image-alt) - [input-button-name](https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/input-button-name) - [input-image-alt](https://testingbot.com/support/accessibility/web/rules/input-image-alt)