PDF image without alt text Screen reader compatibility
PDF
Sep 11, 2022
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 40 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.
Code used for this test:
<a href='SR_PDF_no_alt_text.pdf'>SR_PDF_no_alt_text.pdf</a>
Change History
Last updated: September 11, 2022
NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2022.2
NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 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 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 12.5
VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 15.6
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Unlabeled graphic read - Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure in accessibility tree | Graphic |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic, graphic. |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless label read out | Eleven, graphic |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless label read out | Graphic, eleven |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | No description of image | Image |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | No description of image | Image, 1 of 1 |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Image ignored |
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