Free Heading Checker — See Your H1–H6 Outline and Fix Problems
Paste a page's HTML and this free heading checker pulls out every H1–H6 heading tag, shows them as an indented outline and flags skipped levels, empty headings, a missing H1 and repeated text. No signup, nothing leaves your browser.
Paste some HTML to see its headings.
What This Checks
- The full outline — every
<h1>to<h6>in page order, indented by level so the structure is visible at a glance - Skipped levels — an
<h2>followed directly by an<h4>, which the W3C accessibility guidance says to avoid where possible - A missing H1 or a page whose first heading is not a top-level heading
- More than one H1 — reported as a note, because it is allowed; it is just worth knowing about
- Empty headings — a heading tag with no text, which screen readers still announce
- Repeated heading text — two headings with identical wording, which usually means a section needs a more specific title
- Very long headings — a style tip for any heading over 70 characters
Do Headings Matter for SEO?
Less than most checklists suggest, and the reason is worth knowing. Google's SEO Starter Guide says there is no magical, ideal number of headings a page should have, and that from a Google Search perspective it does not matter if headings are used out of order. In other words, you will not be penalised for a skipped level or a second H1.
The case for tidy headings is mostly about people. The same guide notes that headings in semantic order are fantastic for screen readers, and the W3C accessibility tutorial advises against skipping heading ranks because it can confuse people who navigate by headings. A clear outline also makes a long page easier for any reader to scan. That is why this tool labels each finding as an accessibility issue or a style note, rather than a ranking error.
Heading Checker FAQs
Can a page have more than one H1?
Yes. Google does not prescribe a number of headings, and a second H1 does not break anything for Search. Many teams still use one H1 per page so the main topic is obvious, which is why the tool reports extra H1s as a note rather than an error.
Does skipping a heading level hurt rankings?
Google says it does not matter for Search if headings are used out of order. The W3C does advise avoiding skipped ranks, because it can confuse people using assistive technology, so it is worth fixing for accessibility.
Should headings contain keywords?
Use words that describe the section honestly. A heading that reads naturally and tells the reader what follows will usually contain the relevant terms without forcing them in.
Why does the tool want me to paste HTML instead of a URL?
Browsers block most cross-site requests to other people's pages, and pasting also keeps your page off every server, including ours. Use View Page Source on the page, copy it and paste it here.
Does it read headings that are added by JavaScript?
Only if they are in the HTML you paste. View Page Source shows the HTML as the server sent it, so headings built later by scripts will not appear. To include them, copy the rendered HTML from your browser's developer tools instead.
Does this tool store or send my data anywhere?
No. Everything is checked in your browser with JavaScript — nothing is uploaded, logged, or stored on any server, including ours.
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