PDF9 Document with headings Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 22 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: PDF9 Providing headings by marking content with heading tags in PDF documents
Code used for this test:
<a href='SR_PDF_headings.pdf'>SR_PDF_headings.pdf</a>
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 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Better - caused problems in NVDA 2020.2, but now OK in NVDA 2022.2
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
JAWS with IE Stable - OK from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 2020.2008.24, but now OK in JAWS 2022.2207.25
VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 12.5
VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 15.6
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Heading level 1, heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2 | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Heading level 1, heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2 | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings - Firefox accessibility inspector shows role of headings as 'text' and not 'heading' | No next heading |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings | No next heading |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings - Firefox accessibility inspector shows role of headings as 'text' and not 'heading' | No next heading |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings - Firefox accessibility inspector shows role of headings as 'text' and not 'heading' | No next heading |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1 graphic. Heading 1.2, heading level 2 graphic. | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1 graphic. Heading 1.2, heading level 2 graphic. | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings | There are no headings on this page |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading level 2, heading 1. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings | There are no headings on this page |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Only finds one heading, reads wrong heading level. | Heading 1, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Cannot navigate by headings | There are no headings on this page |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Heading level 1, Heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2. | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Heading level 1, Heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2. | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Heading level 1, Heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2. | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Heading level 1, Heading 1. Heading level 2, heading 1.2. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Heading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Heading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Heading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Heading | Heading 1, heading level 1. Heading 1.2, heading level 2. |
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