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input type=text with blank label for Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Dec 12, 2023

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 150 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:


		<p>Previous element</p>
		<label for='label_for_blank'></label>
		<input type='text' id='label_for_blank'>

Change History

Last updated: December 12, 2023

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
  • 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 2023.3
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
  • 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 2023.2311.34
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 13.6
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 16.6
  • 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 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Article, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Document, edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit has auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 40 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 40 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 29 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 29 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit auto complete, blank
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, blank
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Reads previous paragraph as label. Blank, edit, previous element, edit.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Reads previous paragraph as label. Blank, edit, previous element, edit.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Reads previous paragraph as label. Blank, edit, previous element, edit.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit, previous element edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Edit.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Tab, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Tab, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Edit.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Tab, previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Tab, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank. Edit.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Tab, previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Tab, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading Reads previous paragraph as label. Edit, previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, edit, type in text
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 40 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 40 Tabbing No indication what control is for. Tab, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Edit
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, blank, type in text
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Tabbing Text of previous element read as label. Often doesn't indicate what control is for. Previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, blank, type in text
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank, edit.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Tabbing Text of previous element read as label. Often doesn't indicate what control is for. Previous element, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading No indication what control is for. Blank
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Tabbing Reads previous paragraph as label. Previous element, blank, type in text
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29 Reading No information on what edit field is for. Edit
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29 Tabbing Uses preceding text as label. Previous element, blank, edit, type in text.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Reading No information on what edit field is for. Blank, type in text.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Tabbing Uses preceding text as label. Previous element, blank, edit, type in text.
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading Uses preceding text as label. Previous element, edit
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Tabbing Uses preceding text as label. Previous element, edit
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading No information on what edit field is for. Edit box
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Tabbing Uses preceding text as label. Previous element, edit box
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 8.0.6 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 8.0.6 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Reading No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Tabbing No indication what text field is for. Edit text, blank
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchUses preceding text as label. Previous element, text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field
Fail VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field, double-tap to edit
Fail VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field, double-tap to edit
Fail VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field, double-tap to edit
Fail VoiceOver iOS 7.1Safari iOS 7.1TouchNo indication what text field is for. Text field, double-tap to edit
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading Uses preceding text as label Previous element, edit
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Tabbing Uses preceding text as label Forms mode, previous element, blank line, edit
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Reading Nothing indicates purpose of text field Editable text, blank
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Tabbing Nothing indicates purpose of text field Editable text, blank

SortSite rules: AccHtmlLabelBlank

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