What does "html element must have a lang attribute" mean?

The page does not declare its language. Add lang="en" (or your language) to the html tag.

Should I use lang="en" or lang="en-US"?

Both are valid. "en" is enough for most sites. Use a regional code if you have pages for several regions.

Is the page title the same as the H1?

Not necessarily. The title goes in the head and usually adds the site name. The H1 is the main heading on the page. They should describe the same topic.

Page language and page title: two quick WCAG fixes

What WCAG asks for

3.1.1 Language of Page: the main language of each page must be set in code, on the <html> element.
2.4.2 Page Titled: each page needs a title that describes its topic or purpose.
3.1.2 Language of Parts (level AA) adds that passages in another language are marked too.

Why the language matters

Screen readers pick a voice and pronunciation rules from the page language. If it is missing, they fall back to the user's default. A Spanish speaking visitor using a Spanish screen reader will hear your English page pronounced as Spanish, which is very hard to follow. Browsers also use the language for automatic translation offers, hyphenation and spell checking.

How to fix the language

<!-- English -->
<html lang="en">

<!-- US English, if you want to be specific -->
<html lang="en-US">

<!-- A passage in another language -->
<p>Our motto: <span lang="es">Siempre a su lado</span>.</p>

Use a valid language code (en, es, fr, uk), not a country name or a made-up value like lang="english". In WordPress the attribute comes from Settings, General, Site Language, as long as the theme prints language_attributes() in its <html> tag. Multilingual sites should set the language per page.

Why the title matters

The title is the first thing a screen reader announces when a page loads. It is also the text on the browser tab, the default bookmark name and usually the headline in search results. A missing title, or the same "Home" on every page, makes it hard to know where you are.

How to fix the title

<title>Estate planning attorneys in Austin | Smith & Partners</title>

Put the specific part first and the site name last.
Make every page title different.
Update the title when content changes without a page load, such as steps of a booking form or search results.

Most CMS platforms and SEO plugins manage titles for you. If an automated check reports a missing title, look for templates or landing page builders that skip the theme's head.

What automated checks miss

A check can confirm that a language and a title exist and that the code is valid. It can not tell whether the language is the right one, or whether "Page 1" is a useful title. A quick manual review covers both.

Last updated October 18, 2026.

Page language and page title: the two easiest fixes