PowerMapper
PowerMapper
PDF1 Image with alt text Screen reader compatibility
PDF WCAG
Nov 26, 2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2024.4 | Chrome 131 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2024.4 | FF 128 | Reading | This is alt text, figure | |
| NVDA 2024.4 | Edge 131 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Graphic, unlabeled graphic. |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Chrome 131 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | FF 128 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
| JAWS 2024.2409.2 | Edge 131 | Reading | This is alt text, graphic. | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Reading | Image ignored - but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure named 'this is alt text' in accessibility tree | |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Reading | Alt text not read, but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with name 'This is alt text' | Graphic |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Reading | Alt text not read, but Firefox accessibility inspector shows figure with name 'This is alt text' | Graphic |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | This is alt text. | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic, graphic. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | This is alt text, graphic | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description for graphic | Unlabeled graphic. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Reading | Image ignored - Firefox accessibility inspector shows no images in accessibility tree | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| JAWS 17.0.2007 | IE11 | Reading | Graphic, this is alt text | |
| VoiceOver macOS 14.6 | Safari 17.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver iOS 17.7 | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver iOS 16.6 | Safari 16.6 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | This is alt text, image | |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | This is alt text, image, 1 of 1 | |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | 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