PowerMapper
PowerMapper
a element placeholder link with no event handler or href attribute
Screen reader compatibility
HTML
Dec 12, 2023
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 9 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: placeholder links
Code used for this test:
<a>Placeholder text</a>
Reliability Trend
This graph shows reliability over time for this code in NVDA, JAWS and Voiceover. Other screen readers don't have enough historical data yet to plot trends.
Change History
Last updated: December 12, 2023
- NVDA with Chrome
Stable - OK from
NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
- NVDA with IE
Stable - OK from
NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
- NVDA with FF
Stable - OK from
NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2023.3
- JAWS with Chrome
Stable - OK from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
- JAWS with IE
Stable - OK from
JAWS 18.0.5038 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF
Stable - OK from
JAWS 18.0.5038 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
- VoiceOver macOS
Causes problems in
VoiceOver macOS 13.6
- VoiceOver iOS
Stable - OK from
VoiceOver iOS 10.3 to VoiceOver iOS 16.6
- SaToGo with IE
Causes problems in
SaToGo 3.4.96.0
| Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | FF 60 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | FF 60 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF 52 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF 52 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | Placeholder text | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Announced as clickable, but no event handler so nothing happens when clicked | Placeholder text, clickable |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Tabbing | Skipped when tabbing, as expected | |
| VoiceOver iOS 16.6 | Safari 16.6 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Placeholder text | |
| SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Reading | Announced as a link, but doesn't function as link | Link, placeholder text |
| SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Tabbing | Announced as a link, but doesn't function as link | Placeholder text, link |
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