Definition lists with images as bullets Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Dec 12, 2023

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 78 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:


		<dl>
		   <dd><img src='img16x16.png' alt='* '>Audrey</dd>
		   <dd><img src='img16x16.png' alt='* '>Laurie</dd>
		   <dd><img src='img16x16.png' alt='* '>Alice</dd>
		</dl>
	

Change History

Last updated: December 12, 2023

  • Bad NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
  • Bad NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2014.1 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Bad NVDA with FF Causes problems in NVDA 2023.3
  • Bad JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
  • Bad JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Bad JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
  • Bad VoiceOver macOS Causes problems in VoiceOver macOS 13.6
  • Bad VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 16.6
  • Bad WindowEyes with IE Causes problems from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
  • Bad Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 15.05
  • Bad SaToGo with IE Causes problems in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
Fail NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2015.2FF 41 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
OK NVDA 2014.1FF 29 Reading List with three items. Audrey. Laurie. Alice.
Fail NVDA 2014.1IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. List with three items, graphic star, Audrey. Graphic star, Laurie. Graphic star, Alice.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star graphic. Audrey. Star graphic. Laurie. Star graphic. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023FF 29 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002FF 29 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852FF 29 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Graphic star. Audrey. Graphic star. Laurie. Graphic star. Alice.
Fail WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. D list with 3 items, star. Audrey. D star. Laurie. D star. Alice.
Fail WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star. Audrey. Star. Laurie. Star. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image 1 of 3. Audrey. Star, image 2 of 3. Laurie. Star, image 3 of 3. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Description list 3 items. Star, image. Audrey. Star, image. Laurie. Star, image. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 9.0.1 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image. Audrey. Star, image. Laurie. Star, image. Alice.
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.9Safari 7.0.3 Reading Audrey. Laurie. Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, description list start, description, Audrey, description, star, image, description, Laurie, description, star, image, description, Alice. Description list end, description.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, description list start, description, Audrey, description, star, image, description, Laurie, description, star, image, description, Alice. Description list end, description.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, description list start, description, Audrey, description, star, image, description, Laurie, description, star, image, description, Alice. Description list end, description.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star, image, Audrey, star, image, Laurie, star, image, Alice.
Fail VoiceOver iOS 7.1Safari iOS 7.1TouchImage bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star. Audrey. Star. Laurie. Star. Alice.
Fail Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Normal star. Audrey. Star. Laurie. Star. Alice
Fail SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Reading Image bullets cause extra noise which makes list harder to understand. Star Audrey, Star Laurie, Star Alice

SortSite rules: AccHtmlBulletListMarkup

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