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PDF no headings 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_headings.pdf'>SR_PDF_no_headings.pdf</a>

Change History

Last updated: September 11, 2022

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2022.2
  • Bad NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2022.2
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
  • Bad JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 12.5
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 15.6
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF102HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF91HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF78HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF68HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF60HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11HeadingCannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Cannot navigate by headings No next heading
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF102HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF91HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF78HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF68HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF60HeadingCannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Cannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail JAWS 17.0.2007IE11 Reading Cannot navigate by headings There are no headings on this page
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6HeadingCannot navigate by headings Heading not found
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0HeadingCannot navigate by headings Heading not found
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1HeadingCannot navigate by headings Heading not found
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0HeadingCannot navigate by headings Heading not found
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6HeadingCannot navigate by headings Zero headings
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7HeadingCannot navigate by headings Zero headings
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3HeadingCannot navigate by headings Zero headings
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4HeadingCannot navigate by headings Heading not found

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