New to looking after a website? Start here

Five steps

Each one is a single thing to do, and you can stop after any of them.

1. Run a Full Check on your home page. Paste your home page's address into Full Check and press Scan. In about a minute you get one report: links, pictures, contact details, accessibility and site health, worst first.
2. Fix the "Fix first" items, or send the report on. Your report puts problems in two groups, Fix first and When you can. Fix the first group yourself, or press Send this report and pass the link to your web person (whoever built or looks after your site). If a problem's name puzzles you, Your report, explained says what each one means.
3. Check the two dates that take websites offline. Your domain name (your web address, rented by the year) and your SSL certificate (what gives you the padlock) each run out on a set date. Site health shows both dates. Then turn on Site Watch: we check your site every night and email you only when something changes.
4. Do three accessibility basics. They help people who are blind, have low vision or can't use a mouse use your site:
   • Alt text: a short description on each picture that matters, read aloud by screen readers. Write good alt text.
   • Headings: one main heading on each page, then smaller ones in order, so people can skip to the part they want. Accessibility Check finds headings out of order.
   • Contrast: text dark enough against its background to read easily. Color check tests your colors.
5. Come back in three months. At the foot of every report, under "Keep an eye on it", press Remind me in 3 months. We send one email with a link to check your site again, then delete your address. Websites change, and links break over time.

If you get stuck

• An error message or a page that won't load: the guides, one problem each.
• Something in a report you don't understand: ask us.
• Every free tool, in one list: Tools.