Data table with th
cell headers
Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 5 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: H51: Using table markup to present tabular information
Code used for this test:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Morning</th>
<th>Afternoon</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Free</td>
<td>Busy</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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 2012.1 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2022.2
JAWS with Chrome Stable - OK from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 14.0.9002, but now OK in JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Stable - OK from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2022.2207.25
VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 12.5
VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 10.3, but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 15.6
WindowEyes with IE Stable - OK from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
Dolphin with IE OK in Dolphin SR 15.05
SaToGo with IE OK in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, morning, column one, morning. Afternoon, column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF41 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF31 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | FF31 | Reading | Table with two rows and two columns, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, morning, column one, free. Afternoon, column two, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | No headers read in IE | Table with two rows, row one, column one, morning. Column two, afternoon. Row two, column one, free. Column two, busy. |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). |
![]() | FF102 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). |
![]() | FF91 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). |
![]() | FF78 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Reads cell headers when using table navigation commands | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). |
![]() | FF68 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF60 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF52 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF41 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF31 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | FF31 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | When reading header rows, the TH for the first column is read along with the TH from the current column (e.g. Morning, afternoon) when Ctrl+Alt+Numpad+5 pressed | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning (column one, row one, morning). Afternoon (column two, row one, morning, afternoon). Free (column one, row two, morning, free). Busy (column two, row two, afternoon, busy). |
![]() | FF31 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads cell headers using Ctrl+Alt+5 | Table with two columns and two rows. Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Table | Table, two rows, two columns, morning. Afternoon. Morning, free. Afternoon, busy. | |
![]() | IE11 | Table | Table thirteen, two rows, two columns (table thirteen, one R one C, morning). Morning. Afternoon. Morning, free. Afternoon, busy. | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 9.0.1 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Reading | Table, 2 columns, 2 rows. Morning, column 1 of 2. Afternoon, column 2 of 2. Row 2 of 2, morning, free, column 1 of 2. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Reading | Column headers are not read by the Read Screen gesture, but are read by the Read Item gesture. | Morning, row header, column header, row 1 column 1, table start, 2 rows 2 columns. Afternoon, column header, row 1 column 2. Morning, free, row 2 column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2 column 2, table end, end, end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Reading | Column headers are not read by the Read Screen gesture, but are read by the Read Item gesture. | Morning, row header, column header, row 1 column 1, table start, 2 rows 2 columns. Afternoon, column header, row 1 column 2. Morning, free, row 2 column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2 column 2, table end, end, end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Reading | Column headers are not read by the Read Screen gesture, but are read by the Read Item gesture. | Morning, row header, column header, row 1 column 1, table start, 2 rows 2 columns. Afternoon, column header, row 1 column 2. Morning, free, row 2 column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2 column 2, table end, end, end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Reading | Column headers are not read by the Read Screen gesture, but are read by the Read Item gesture. | Morning, row 1 column 1, table start, 2 rows 2 columns. Afternoon, row 1 column 2. Morning, free, row 2 column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2 column 2, table end, end, end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 11.4 | Reading | Column headers are not read by the Read Screen gesture, but are read by the Read Item gesture. | Morning, row 1 column 1, table start, 2 rows 2 columns. Afternoon, row 1 column 2. Morning, free, row 2 column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2 column 2, table end, end, end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Reading | The first column header is not read out. | Morning, row 1, column 1, table start, 2 rows, 2 columns. Afternoon, column 2. Free, row 2, column 1. Afternoon, busy, column 2, table end. |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Reading | Morning, table start. Afternoon. Morning, free. Afternoon, busy, table end. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.4 | Reading | Morning, table start. Afternoon. Free. Busy, table end. | |
![]() | Safari iOS 7.1 | Reading | When reading header rows, the TH for the first column is read along with the TH from the current column (e.g. Morning, afternoon) | Morning, table start. Morning, afternoon. Morning, free. Afternoon, busy. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Dolphin doesn't read TH headers for TD cells | Table two rows, two columns. Morning, column one, row one. Afternoon, column two, row one. Free, column one, row two. Busy, column two, row two. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | SaToGo doesn't read TH headers for TD cells, but can read corresponding cell in row one via keystroke | Entering table, morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy. |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlTableNoHeaders
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