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PDF image without alt text Screen reader compatibility

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Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 56 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:


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

Change History

Last updated: November 26, 2024

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Bad NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Bad JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2024.4Chrome 131 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2024.4FF 128 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2024.4Edge 131 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Image ignored
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading No description for graphic Graphic, unlabeled graphic.
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Image ignored
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Image ignored
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with empty name in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with empty name in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading Unlabeled graphic read - Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure in accessibility tree Graphic
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic, graphic.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading Meaningless label read out Eleven, graphic
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading No description for graphic Unlabeled graphic.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Meaningless label read out Graphic, eleven
Fail JAWS 17.0.2007IE11 Reading Image ignored
Fail VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading No description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver iOS 17.7Safari iOS 17.7TouchNo description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari 16.6TouchNo description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchNo description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchNo description of image Image
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchNo description of image Image, 1 of 1
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchImage ignored

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