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Heading Generator and H1 to H6 Outline Checker

Build an H1 to H6 outline, or audit the headings on a page.

SEO Tools Free, no sign-up Runs in your browser
Mode

Two spaces or a tab per level. The first level becomes H1.

Outline

About the Heading Tag Generator

Heading Tag Generator works in two directions. Write an outline using indentation and it produces the heading markup, with each level of indent becoming one level deeper in the hierarchy. Or paste the HTML of an existing page and it extracts the headings, draws the outline they create, and flags the structural problems.

Those problems are worth catching. A page with several H1 elements has no clear single subject. A page that jumps from H2 straight to H4 has a gap in its hierarchy, which confuses screen readers that let people navigate by heading level. An empty heading, or one holding only an image with no alt text, is a navigation landmark that announces nothing.

Heading structure is one of the few places where accessibility and search advice point the same way for the same reason: both a screen reader and a search engine build a mental outline from your headings, and a broken outline is harder for both to follow.

How to use the Heading Tag Generator

  1. Choose a directionGenerate markup from an outline, or audit HTML you paste in.
  2. Write or pasteIn generate mode, indent lines to set the level. In audit mode, paste page source.
  3. Read the outlineBoth modes draw the resulting heading hierarchy.
  4. Fix what is flaggedSkipped levels, extra H1s and empty headings are listed individually.

Features

  • Generates H1 to H6 markup from an indented outline
  • Audits pasted HTML and extracts the real headings
  • Draws the outline the headings create
  • Flags multiple H1 elements
  • Flags skipped heading levels
  • Flags empty headings and ones holding only an image
  • Copy the generated markup

Who uses this tool

The heading tag generator is used by writers, developers, students, marketers and anyone else who needs the job done once without installing software. Common cases include:

  • Planning the structure of a long article before writing it
  • Checking that an existing page has a sensible hierarchy
  • Finding the second H1 somebody added to a template
  • Producing heading markup without hand-typing tags
  • Reviewing a page for keyboard and screen reader navigation

Frequently asked questions

Can a page have more than one H1?

The HTML specification permits it, particularly with sectioning elements. In practice one H1 per page is the convention that works best: it gives the page a single clear subject, and it is what screen reader users and search engines expect to find.

Why do skipped levels matter?

Because heading levels describe a nesting relationship. Jumping from H2 to H4 implies a missing level, and a screen reader user navigating by heading has no way to tell whether they missed something. It is also a sign the author was choosing headings by size rather than by meaning.

Should I choose heading levels for how they look?

No. Choose the level that reflects the structure, then style it with CSS. Using an H4 because the H2 style is too big is the most common cause of broken outlines.

Do headings help with search rankings?

They help search engines understand what a page is about and how it is organised, which is useful but modest. Their larger value is to readers, who scan headings before deciding to read.

How do I write the outline in generate mode?

One heading per line, with two spaces or a tab of indentation per level. The first level becomes H1, the next H2, and so on down to H6.

Does audit mode fetch my page?

No. Paste the HTML yourself, because a browser cannot request another site's source. View-source in your browser and copy it.

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