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Heading is img with alt="" Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 90 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:


		<h2><img src='1234.png' alt=''></h2>
		<p>Heading 2 content</p>

Change History

Last updated: November 26, 2024

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Bad NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Bad JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
  • Bad WindowEyes with IE Causes problems from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
  • Bad Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 15.05
  • Bad SaToGo with IE Causes problems in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2024.4Chrome 131HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2024.4FF 128HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2024.4Edge 131HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 41HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 29HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2012.1FF 29HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail NVDA 2012.1IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11HeadingText of following paragraph read out as heading Heading 2, Heading 2 content
Fail VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1HeadingHeading image visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2HeadingHeading image visible in browser, no heading label read by screen reader. Heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2HeadingHeading image visible in browser, no heading label read by screen reader. Heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 9.0.1HeadingHeading image visible in browser, no heading label read by screen reader. Heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3HeadingHeading image visible in browser, no heading label read by screen reader. Heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 17.7Safari iOS 17.7TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2,
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2,
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2,
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail VoiceOver iOS 7.1Safari iOS 7.1TouchHeading image visible in browser, meaningless heading read by screen reader. Two, heading level 2
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11HeadingHeading visible in browser, but ignored by screen reader
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11HeadingReads following paragraph as heading Heading 2 content, heading level 1

SortSite rules: AccHtmlHeadingEmpty

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