HTML <caption> Element: Accessible Table Titles

Caption names or describes a table so visitors know what information it contains before exploring its cells. Before writing the code, picture the information as a small grid. Each label should help a reader understand the value next to it.

What You Need to Know

The caption belongs as a direct child of table, typically first. A nearby page heading can introduce the section, but a caption identifies the table itself.

Read a table like a story about data. The caption says what you are looking at; row and column headers explain what the numbers or words mean.

Example: See It in Action

Take a look at this small piece of HTML. You can use it in a practice document and change the text to make it your own.

This is a short HTML fragment. To try it as a webpage, put it inside the body element of a complete HTML document.

<table>
    <caption>Library opening hours</caption>
    <tr>
        <th scope="col">Day</th>
        <th scope="col">Hours</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <th scope="row">Monday</th>
        <td>09:00–17:00</td>
    </tr>
</table>

Let’s Understand the Example

• Caption gives the whole data table a clear name.
• Table represents information whose row and column relationships matter.
• Scope explains which table row, column or group a th cell labels.

Look at a data cell and ask: “What row and column does this value belong to?” The header elements help answer that question, including for people who navigate the table with a screen reader.

What Should You See?

You should see a grid for “Library opening hours”, with headers such as “Day”, “Hours”, “Monday”. The browser displays cells, but meaningful table markup also helps readers connect each cell to its labels.

Read the first data row aloud together with its column labels. If you cannot explain a value without pointing to its position on screen, strengthen the headers.

Try It Yourself

1. Write a more specific caption that includes the time period.
2. Save your changes, open or refresh the page, and compare the result with the original example.
3. Tell a friend what your change did. If you are not sure, undo it, refresh the page, and compare.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Putting the caption outside table and assuming it will still be the table's programmatic caption.
• Do not replace actual header cells with bold ordinary cells. Header markup is part of the meaning, not just the appearance.

Key Takeaways

• Caption names or describes a table so visitors know what information it contains before exploring its cells.
• Caption gives the whole data table a clear name.
• The caption belongs as a direct child of table, typically first. A nearby page heading can introduce the section, but a caption identifies the table itself.