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A link with non-breaking space as label Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Dec 12, 2023

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 145 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>Preceding content</p>
		<a href='javascript:void(0);'> </a>

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 14.0.9002 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 14.0.9002 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 in 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 Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Tabbing Unlabeled link read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link, void zero
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading Link not displayed, but link role read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link role read out. Link
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 41 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 41 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero, link
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 29 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2014.1FF 29 Tabbing Link not displayed, "blank" read out for focusable label. Blank
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Reading Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Link void zero
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Tabbing Link not displayed, but link URL read out. Void zero link
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader, focus indicator hard to see. Link
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader, focus indicator hard to see. Link
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader, focus indicator hard to see. Link
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Tabbing Unlabeled link read by screen reader. Link
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Tab, void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Tab, void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Tab, void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Tab, void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Tab, void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, focus indicator very hard to see, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Reading Single character underline displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Tabbing Single character underline displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Tabbing No link displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Void left paren zero right paren, link
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading Single character underline displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Tabbing Single character underline displayed, link gibberish read by screen reader. Link, void left paren zero right paren
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading Underlined space visible in browser, but ignored in WindowEyes.
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Tabbing Text of previous element read as link label. Link, preceding content
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading No link label read. Link, comma comma
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Tabbing No link label read. Link, comma comma
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 9.0.1 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 9.0.1 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari 16.6TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, and link with no label read in VoiceOver. Link
Fail VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, but ignored in VoiceOver.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchUnderlined space visible in browser, but ignored in VoiceOver.
OK VoiceOver iOS 7.1Safari iOS 7.1TouchLink not visible in browser, and ignored in VoiceOver.
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading No link label read. Link
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Tabbing No link label read. Link
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Reading Underlined space visible in browser, but ignored in SaToGo.
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Tabbing Link ignored when tabbing.

SortSite rules: AccHtmlLinkTextBlank

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