PDF1 Image with alt text Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 27 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: PDF1 Applying text alternatives to images with the Alt entry in PDF documents
Code used for this test:
<a href='SR_PDF_alt_text.pdf'>SR_PDF_alt_text.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.
Change History
Last updated: November 26, 2024
NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Better - caused problems in NVDA 2023.3, but now OK in NVDA 2024.4
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
JAWS with IE Stable - OK from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 131 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 128 | Reading | This is alt text, figure | |
![]() | Edge 131 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Chrome 131 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 128 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 131 | Reading | This is alt text, graphic. | |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Alt text not read, but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with name 'This is alt text' | Graphic |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Alt text not read, but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with name 'This is alt text' | Graphic |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic, graphic. |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | This is alt text, graphic | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
![]() | Safari 17.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | This is alt text, image, 1 of 1 | |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | This is alt text, image |
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