object
with aria-label
attribute
Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 35 screen reader / browser combinations
Browsers stopped displaying Flash content when Flash reached end-of-life in December 2020.
WCAG Technique: ARIA6
Code used for this test:
<object aria-label='ARIA label for object' data='startstop_movieclips.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash'>
</object>
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 Stable - OK 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 2019.2, but now OK in NVDA 2022.2
- JAWS with Chrome Stable - OK from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
- JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 2019.1912.1, but now OK 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 Worse - was OK in WindowEyes 8.4, but now causes problems in 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Screen says 'Adobe Flash Player is no longer supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2022.2 | FF102 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | Screen says 'This plug-in isn't supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Screen says 'This plug-in isn't supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2021.2 | FF91 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Screen says 'This plug-in isn't supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Screen says 'This plug-in isn't supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2020.2 | FF78 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Screen says 'This plug-in isn't supported' | Embedded object unavailable, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Flash is disabled in Chrome 76 and will be removed in Chrome 87. | Embedded object, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2019.2 | FF68 | Reading | ARIA label read, but unlabeled buttons. | ARIA label for object. Clickable button. Button, hide plugin. Blank. |
NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | Embedded object, ARIA label for object |
NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Flash is disabled in Chrome 76 and will be removed in Chrome 87. | Embedded object, ARIA label for object. |
NVDA 2018.4 | FF60 | Reading | Unlabeled buttons, and no description of non-text content. | Clickable button. Button, hide plugin. Blank. |
NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | Embedded object, ARIA label for object |
NVDA 2017.3 | FF60 | Reading | ARIA label is announced - but no way to interact with object | Embedded object unavailable - ARIA label for object |
NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | Embedded object, ARIA label for object |
NVDA 2016.2 | FF48 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
NVDA 2016.2 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | Embedded object, ARIA label for object |
NVDA 2015.2 | FF41 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Button. A plugin is needed to display this content. Button, hide plugin. |
NVDA 2015.2 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | Embedded object, ARIA label for object |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF102 | Reading | ARIA label for object. | |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF91 | Reading | ARIA label for object. | |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF78 | Reading | ARIA label for object. | |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic unavailable. | |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | ARIA label for object, graphic. | |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF68 | Reading | Unlabeled buttons, and no description of non-text content. | Unlabeled zero button. Hide plugin button. |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Start button. Stop button. |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Graphic, ARIA label for object. | |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF60 | Reading | Unlabeled buttons, and no description of non-text content. | Unlabeled zero button. Hide plugin button. |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Start button. Stop button. |
JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF52 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
JAWS 17.0.2619 | FF48 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
JAWS 17.0.2619 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
JAWS 16.0.4350 | FF41 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
JAWS 16.0.4350 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
JAWS 15.0.9023 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
JAWS 15.0.9023 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
JAWS 14.0.9002 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
JAWS 14.0.9002 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
JAWS 13.0.852 | FF38 | Reading | Flash start. Aria label for object button. Flash end. | |
JAWS 13.0.852 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Flash start. Start button. Stop button. Flash end. |
WindowEyes 9.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
WindowEyes 8.4 | IE11 | Reading | Voices ARIA-LABEL attribute | ARIA label for object. Start button. Stop button. |
VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.11 | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.10 | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | Newline |
VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Aria label for object | |
VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 9.1 | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
VoiceOver iOS 8.3 | Safari iOS 8.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for object - no indication it exists | |
Dolphin SR 15.05 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Object, start button. Stop button. |
SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Start of Flash Player. Button, start. Button, stop. End of Flash player. |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlObjectNoAccName AccHtmlTimedMediaPlaceholder
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