Link target
opens in new window
Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 72 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: F22
Code used for this test:
<a href='https://www.example.com' target='_blank'>Example</a>
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 2014.1 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2014.1 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 14.0.9002 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 14.0.9002 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver macOS 10.13, but now OK in VoiceOver macOS 14.6
VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 10.3, but now OK in 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
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 131 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 128 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Edge 131 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 115 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Edge 120 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 102 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Edge 105 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 91 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Edge 94 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 78 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Edge 92 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 68 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 48 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 41 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 29 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Chrome 131 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | FF 128 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | Edge 131 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | FF 115 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | Edge 120 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | FF 102 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | Edge 105 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | FF 91 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | Edge 94 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | FF 78 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | Edge 92 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | FF 68 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab page" after link clicked. | Example link. New tab page. |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Tab, example link |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Tab, example link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab page" after link clicked. | Tab, example link. New tab page. |
![]() | FF 52 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Tab, example link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab page" after link clicked. | Tab, example link. New tab page. |
![]() | FF 48 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab page" after link clicked. | Example, link. New tab page. |
![]() | FF 41 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab link" first time link clicked (but not on subsequent clicks). | Example, link. New tab page. |
![]() | FF 29 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | FF 29 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, says "new tab link" first time link clicked. | Example, link. New tab link. |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Link, example |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 17.6 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Link, example |
![]() | Safari 9.0.1 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | No indication link has opened in new window, but Back button goes back to previous page. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.4 | Touch | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | Safari iOS 7.1 | Touch | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Example, link |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | No indication link opens in new window before clicking, or that one has opened after clicking link. | Normal, example link |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlLinkTargetNew
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