[v16] Create button in left navigation missing discernible text

[MMasey]

Which Umbraco version are you using?

16.0.0+

Bug summary

Buttons in the Umbraco backoffice are missing discernible text or have unclear labels. Example: the Create (+ icon) button in the left-hand navigation tree identifies as #actions_create but is not formatted correctly and provides no context.

Specifics

• Location: Left-hand navigation tree → Create (+ icon).
• Instance: Identifies as #actions_create.
• Issue: Missing discernible text, exposes internal identifier, lacks localization/context.
• Screenshot:

• Possible Cause: Localization may not be working, or issue is captured too early. Missing contextual values should be parsed onto the Entity Action API for a GetLabel method.
• Accessibility References:
• WCAG Level A: 1.1.1 – Non-text Content
• WCAG Level A: 2.4.4 – Link Purpose (In Contex

Proposed Fix

• Ensure all icon buttons (including the Create (+) button) expose a discernible, localized accessible name.
• The accessible name must not rely on internal identifiers (e.g., #actions_create) and should instead use localized strings that clearly describe the button’s purpose (e.g., “Create content”).
• Confirm the localization pipeline is correctly applied so the label is available in the user’s chosen backoffice language.
• If contextual values are required (for example, entity type or location), ensure these are parsed through to the label so it remains meaningful in context.

Acceptance criteria:

• Screen readers announce the control with a meaningful purpose.
• Labels are localized and context-aware.
• Buttons pass WCAG Level A requirements:
  • 1.1.1 Non-text Content
  • 2.4.4 Link/Button Purpose (In Context)

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the Umbraco backoffice (v16).
2. Navigate to the left-hand navigation tree.
3. Locate the Create (+ icon) button.
4. Inspect the element.
5. Observe that it identifies as #actions_create and has no discernible or descriptive text.
6. This can also be reviewed using the free, open source screen reader NVDA, using the Elements List functionality as shown in the screenshot above.

Expected result / actual result

Expected result:

• All elements should have descriptive, accessible names that convey their purpose.
• The Create button should be labelled clearly (e.g., "Create Content" or "Add New Item") instead of exposing internal identifiers.
• Labels should be localized and context-aware.

Actual result:

• The Create button only identifies as #actions_create.
• No meaningful text is provided, leading to accessibility failures.

[github-actions]

Hi there @MMasey!

Firstly, a big thank you for raising this issue. Every piece of feedback we receive helps us to make Umbraco better.

We really appreciate your patience while we wait for our team to have a look at this but we wanted to let you know that we see this and share with you the plan for what comes next.

• We'll assess whether this issue relates to something that has already been fixed in a later version of the release that it has been raised for.
• If it's a bug, is it related to a release that we are actively supporting or is it related to a release that's in the end-of-life or security-only phase?
• We'll replicate the issue to ensure that the problem is as described.
• We'll decide whether the behavior is an issue or if the behavior is intended.

We wish we could work with everyone directly and assess your issue immediately but we're in the fortunate position of having lots of contributions to work with and only a few humans who are able to do it. We are making progress though and in the meantime, we will keep you in the loop and let you know when we have any questions.

Thanks, from your friendly Umbraco GitHub bot 🤖 🙂