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PDF4 Decorative image marked as artifact Screen reader compatibility

PDF WCAG
Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: works in a screen reader

Actual Result: causes problems in 25 screen reader / browser combinations

WCAG Technique: PDF4 Hiding decorative images with the Artifact tag in PDF documents

Code used for this test:


		<a href='SR_PDF_artifact.pdf'>SR_PDF_artifact.pdf</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.

100%80%60%40%20%0%201520162017201867%201975%202050%202150%202238%202343%202450%

Change History

Last updated: November 26, 2024

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Good NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Good NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Good JAWS with IE Stable - OK from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Better JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 2022.2207.25, but now OK in JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Good VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
  • Good VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2024.4Chrome 131 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2024.4FF 128 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2024.4Edge 131 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
OK NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
OK JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128 Reading Image ignored as expected and not present in Firefox accessibility tree.
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
OK JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Image ignored as expected and not present in Firefox accessibility tree.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Graphic
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
OK JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading Image ignored as expected - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
OK JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
OK JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading Image not ignored as artifact Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
OK JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK JAWS 17.0.2007IE11 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading Image ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 17.7Safari iOS 17.7TouchImage ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari 16.6TouchImage ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchImage ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchImage ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchImage ignored as expected
OK VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchImage ignored as expected

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