PowerMapper
PowerMapper
img with alt set to ASCII art smiley
Screen reader compatibility
HTML WCAG
Nov 26, 2024
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 60 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.
WCAG Failure: F72
Code used for this test:
<img src='img16x16.png' alt=':-)'>
Change History
Last updated: November 26, 2024
- NVDA with Chrome
Causes problems in
NVDA 2024.4
- NVDA with IE
Causes problems from
NVDA 2014.1 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF
Better - caused problems in
NVDA 2022.2,
but now OK in NVDA 2024.4- JAWS with Chrome
Causes problems from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
- JAWS with IE
Causes problems from
JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF
Causes problems from
JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS
Stable - OK from
VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6- VoiceOver iOS
Stable - OK from
VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
- WindowEyes with IE
Causes problems from
WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
- Dolphin with IE
Causes problems in
Dolphin SR 15.05
- SaToGo with IE
OK in
SaToGo 3.4.96.0
| Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2024.4 | Chrome 131 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words, but role voiced as 'Unlabelled graphic'. | Unlabelled graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2024.4 | FF 128 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2024.4 | Edge 131 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Graphic, smiley face |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2017.3 | FF 60 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2016.2 | FF 48 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2016.2 | IE11 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2015.2 | FF 40 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2015.2 | IE11 | Reading | Reads "graphic", with no indication what the graphic is. | Graphic |
| NVDA 2014.1 | FF 28 | Reading | Reads "colon", with no indication what this means. | Colon |
| NVDA 2014.1 | IE11 | Reading | No indication what graphic is. | Graphic |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Chrome 131 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | FF 128 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Edge 131 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Colon dash right-paren, graphic. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF 52 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 17.0.2619 | FF 48 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 17.0.2619 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | FF 40 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Graphic colon dash right-paren. |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | FF 29 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | IE11 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | FF 29 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | IE11 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | FF 29 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | IE11 | Reading | No indication graphic is there. | Blank |
| WindowEyes 9.2 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Dash right paren |
| WindowEyes 8.4 | IE11 | Reading | Meaningless punctuation read. | Dash right paren |
| VoiceOver macOS 14.6 | Safari 17.6 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.11 | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.10 | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.9 | Safari 7.0.3 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 17.7 | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 16.6 | Safari iOS 16.6 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 9.1 | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 8.4 | Safari iOS 8.4 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| VoiceOver iOS 7.1 | Safari iOS 7.1 | Touch | Translates some smileys to words. | Smiley, image |
| Dolphin SR 15.05 | IE11 | Reading | Complete silence on image - no indication of what it is. | |
| SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Reading | Translates some smileys to words. | Smile |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlImgAltAsciiArt
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