img
with null alt
and non-null title
attributes
Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 75 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.
Author intent is unclear in this markup since ALT='' marks image as presentational, but TITLE attribute gives it an accessible name.
Code used for this test:
<img src='1234.png' alt='' title='This is the title attribute'>
Change History
Last updated: November 26, 2024
- NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
- NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
- NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2015.2 to 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 16.0.4350 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 16.0.4350 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
- VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.10 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
- VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 9.2 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
- WindowEyes with IE Causes problems in WindowEyes 9.2
- Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 15.05
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
NVDA 2024.4 | Chrome 131 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2024.4 | FF 128 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2024.4 | Edge 131 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2017.3 | FF 60 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2016.2 | FF 48 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2016.2 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
NVDA 2015.2 | FF 20 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
NVDA 2015.2 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Chrome 131 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2024.2409.2 | FF 128 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Edge 131 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, graphic |
JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Reading | Image title read out | Graphic, this is the title attribute |
JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF 52 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 17.0.2619 | FF 48 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 17.0.2619 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 16.0.4350 | FF 48 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
JAWS 16.0.4350 | IE11 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
WindowEyes 9.2 | IE11 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute |
VoiceOver macOS 14.6 | Safari 17.6 | Reading | Image not ignored, image title read out | This is the title attribute, image |
VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Image not ignored, image title read out | This is the title attribute, image |
VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Image not ignored, image title read out | This is the title attribute, image |
VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.11 | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver macOS 10.10 | Safari 9.0.2 | Reading | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 17.7 | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, image, test image. |
VoiceOver iOS 16.6 | Safari iOS 16.6 | Touch | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, image, test image. |
VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Image title read out | This is the title attribute, image, logo other, test image. |
VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
VoiceOver iOS 9.2 | Safari iOS 9.2 | Touch | Image ignored, title not read | |
Dolphin SR 15.05 | IE11 | Reading | Image title read out | This is the title attribute |
SortSite rules: AccNullAltWithAccName
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