button containing img with null alt Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 165 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:


		<button><img src='1234.png' alt=''></button>
	

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 2014.1 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2014.1 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 131 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2024.4Chrome 131 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2024.4FF 128 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2024.4FF 128 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2024.4Edge 131 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2024.4Edge 131 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled graphic, button
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 40 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 40 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 28 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 28 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button, to activate press space bar
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press enter
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button, to activate press space bar
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button, to activate press space bar
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button, to activate press space bar
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled four button
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 40 Reading Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 40 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Tab, unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Reading Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Reading Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29 Reading Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled one button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled one button
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Reading Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Tabbing Reads "unlabeled zero button" without saying what button does. Unlabeled zero button
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading Reads "submit button" without saying what button does. Submit button
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Tabbing Reads "submit button" without saying what button does. Submit button
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Tabbing Reads image filename gibberish, which doesn't indicate what button does. Twelve thirty four button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 8.0.6 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 8.0.6 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Reading Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Tabbing Reads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 17.7Safari iOS 17.7TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail VoiceOver iOS 7.1Safari iOS 7.1TouchReads "button" without saying what button does. Button
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading Nothing indicates what button does Button
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Tabbing Nothing indicates what button does Button
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Reading Nothing indicates what button does Button, button
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Tabbing Nothing indicates what button does Button

SortSite rules: AccButtonImgNoAccName

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