CSS media query with `@media aural` Screen reader compatibility

CSS HTML

Sep 11, 2022

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 50 screen reader / browser combinations

For expected failures, the results show which AT combos the failures affect. Results are recorded from the user's viewpoint, so describe the user impact of authoring errors.

@media aural is deprecated in CSS Media Queries Level 4 and not supported by any screen reader.

There has been conflicting information in various CSS specifications on the 'speech' and 'aural' media types.

CSS 2.0 - Recommendation - May 1998 introduced the 'aural' media type for speech devices including screen readers
CSS 2.1 - Recommendation - June 2011 deprecated the 'aural' media type and introduced the reserved 'speech' media type (but didn't specify its behavior)
Media Queries - Recommendation - June 2012 no change to the CSS 2.1 'aural' (deprecated) and 'speech' (reserved) media types
Media Queries Level 4 - Candidate Recommendation - September 2017 says 'aural' never matches and 'speech' matches screen readers
Media Queries Level 4 - Candidate Recommendation - July 2020 says 'screen' matches screen readers, 'speech' and 'aural' never match

Code used for this test:


		<style>
			div.aural-query-fail
			{
				display: block;
				color: black;
				background-color: red;
			}

			div.aural-query-pass
			{
				display: none;
				color: black;
				background-color: green;
			}

			/* change display state using aural media type */
			@media aural
			{
			div.aural-query-fail { display: none; }
			div.aural-query-pass { display: block; }
			}
		</style>

		<div class='aural-query-fail'>
			Aural Media Query - Fail
		</div>
		<div class='aural-query-pass'>
			Aural Media Query - Pass
		</div>

Change History

Last updated: September 11, 2022

NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2022.2
NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2022.2
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 17.0.2619 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 17.0.2619 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.13 to VoiceOver macOS 12.5
VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 11.4 to VoiceOver iOS 15.6
WindowEyes with IE Causes problems in WindowEyes 8.4
Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 16.06
SaToGo with IE Causes problems in SaToGo 3.4.96.0

Screen reader	Browser	Mode	Notes	What the user hears
NVDA 2022.2	Chrome 105	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2022.2	FF102	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2022.2	Edge 105	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2021.2	Chrome 94	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2021.2	FF91	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2021.2	Edge 94	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2020.2	Chrome 86	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2020.2	FF78	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2020.2	Edge 92	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2019.2	Chrome 79	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2019.2	FF68	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2019.2	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2018.4	Chrome 73	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2018.4	FF60	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2018.4	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2017.3	Chrome 66	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2017.3	FF49	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
NVDA 2017.3	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Chrome 105	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	FF102	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Edge 105	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2021.2107.12	Chrome 94	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2021.2107.12	FF91	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2021.2107.12	Edge 94	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2020.2008.24	Chrome 86	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2020.2008.24	FF78	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2020.2008.24	Edge 92	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2019.1912.1	Chrome 79	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2019.1912.1	FF68	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2019.1912.1	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2018.1811.2	Chrome 73	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2018.1811.2	FF60	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 2018.1811.2	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 18.0.5038	FF52	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 18.0.5038	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 17.0.2619	FF49	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
JAWS 17.0.2619	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
WindowEyes 8.4	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver macOS 12.5	Safari 15.6	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver macOS 11.5	Safari 15.0	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver macOS 10.15	Safari 14.1	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver macOS 10.14	Safari 13.0	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver macOS 10.13	Safari 11.1	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver iOS 15.6	Safari iOS 15.6	Touch	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver iOS 14.7	Safari iOS 14.7	Touch	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver iOS 13.3	Safari iOS 13.3	Touch	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver iOS 12.4	Safari iOS 12.4	Touch	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
VoiceOver iOS 11.4	Safari iOS 11.4	Touch	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
Dolphin SR 16.06	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.
SaToGo 3.4.96.0	IE11	Reading	Does not match 'aural' media type.	Aural Media Query - Fail.

Test notes

All tests were carried out with screen reader factory settings. JAWS in particular has a wide variety of settings controlling exactly what gets spoken.

Screen readers allow users to interact in different modes, and can produce very different results in each mode. The modes used in these tests are:

Reading Content read using the “read next” command in a screen reader
Tabbing Content read using the “tab” key in a screen reader
Heading Content read using the “next heading” key in a screen reader
Touch Content read when touching an area of screen on a mobile device

In the “What the user hears” column:

Commas represent short pauses in screen reader voicing
Full Stops represent places where voicing stops, and the “read next” or “tab” or “next heading” command is pressed again
Ellipsis … represent a long pause in voicing
(Brackets) represent voicing that requires a keystroke to hear

CSS media query with @media aural Screen reader compatibility

Change History

Test notes

CSS media query with `@media aural` Screen reader compatibility