embed
with aria-label
attribute
Screen reader compatibility
ARIA HTML WCAG
Sep 11, 2022
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 46 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: ARIA6
Code used for this test:
<embed aria-label='ARIA label for embed' type='video/mp4' src='small.mp4' width='100' height='100'></embed>
Reliability Trend
This graph shows reliability over time for this code in NVDA, JAWS and Voiceover. Other screen readers don't have enough historical data yet to plot trends.
Change History
Last updated: September 11, 2022
NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2022.2
NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Better - caused problems in NVDA 2017.3, but now OK in NVDA 2022.2
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems in JAWS 2022.2207.25
JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 16.0.4350, but now OK in JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems in JAWS 2022.2207.25
VoiceOver macOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver macOS 10.14, but now OK in VoiceOver macOS 12.5
VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 14.7, but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 15.6
WindowEyes with IE Causes problems from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 15.05
SaToGo with IE Causes problems in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Menu button unavailable, submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight / midnight slider unavailable, elapsed time midnight. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | ARIA label for embed, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | aria-label not read, no description of non-text content. | Menu button, submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight / 0:05 slider unavailable, elapsed time midnight. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button play. Button mute. Button show more media controls. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | ARIA label for embed, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | aria-label not read, no description of non-text content. | Button play. Button mute. Button show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01 |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button unavailable, play. Button unavailable, show more media controls. Video time scrubber zero o'clock slash zero o'clock, slider unavailable elapsed time, zero o'clock. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | ARIA label for embed, frame. Out of frame, blank. | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | aria-label not read, no description of non-text content. | Video time scrubber 0:05 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:05 |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05, slider video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05. |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | ARIA label for embed, frame. Out of frame, blank. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Embedded object, ARIA label for embed. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05, slider video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | ARIA label for embed, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Embedded object, ARIA label for embed. | |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Embedded object, ARIA label for embed. | |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Iframe, button play. Button mute. Out of iframe. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Embedded object, ARIA label for embed. | |
![]() | FF38 | Reading | Embedded object, clickable, ARIA label for embed | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Embedded object, ARIA label for embed. | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Up down slider, one. Mute button. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Left right slider, elapsed time, colon zero 01. Video end. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button unavailable. Show more media controls, more options button unavailable. Video end. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Nothing blanks voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Up down slider, one. Mute button. Show more media controls, more options button. Left right slider, elapsed time, colon zero 01. Video end. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Group start, ARIA label for embed. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Group end. | |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Only blanks voiced for embed - no indication it exists | Blank. Blank. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Aria label for embed | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Group start, ARIA label for embed. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Group end. | |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Aria label for embed | |
![]() | FF52 | Reading | Aria-label not read - no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Aria label for embed | |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | Aria label for embed frame. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Aria label for embed frame end. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Aria label for embed | |
![]() | FF41 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | ARIA-LABEL ignored, no description of non-text content | Unnamed 2 button. Slider. Play button. Stop button. Previous button. Rewind button. Fast forward button. Next button. Mute button. Slider. Show. Title. Author. Copyright. Quality icon button. Stopped, read-only, edit box metadata. |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
![]() | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | Newline |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Aria label for embed | |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists |
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