PowerMapper
PowerMapper
embed with alt attribute
Screen reader compatibility
HTML
Dec 12, 2023
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 69 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.
alt is not a valid HTML attribute on embed elements.
Code used for this test:
<embed alt='Alt text for embed' type='video/mp4' src='small.mp4' width='100' height='100'></embed>
Change History
Last updated: December 12, 2023
- NVDA with Chrome
Causes problems from
NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
- NVDA with IE
Causes problems from
NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
- NVDA with FF
Causes problems from
NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2023.3
- JAWS with Chrome
Causes problems from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
- JAWS with IE
Causes problems from
JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF
Causes problems in
JAWS 2023.2311.34
VoiceOver macOS
Better - caused problems in
VoiceOver macOS 10.14,
but now OK in VoiceOver macOS 13.6- VoiceOver iOS
Better - caused problems in
VoiceOver iOS 14.7,
but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 16.6
- WindowEyes with IE
Causes problems from
WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
- Dolphin with IE
Causes problems in
Dolphin SR 15.05
- SaToGo with IE
Causes problems in
SaToGo 3.4.96.0
| Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2023.3 | Chrome 120 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Menu button, submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. |
| NVDA 2023.3 | FF 115 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2023.3 | Edge 120 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Menu button, submenu, show more media controls. |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Chrome 105 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Menu button, submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. |
| NVDA 2022.2 | FF 102 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2022.2 | Edge 105 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Menu button, submenu, show more media controls. |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF 91 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01 |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button unavailable, play. Button unavailable, show more media controls. |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF 78 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video time scrubber 0:05 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:05 |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button, show more media controls. |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF 68 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Embedded object, unnamed_view_0 |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05, slider video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05. |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF 60 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Embedded object, unnamed_view_0 |
| NVDA 2017.3 | FF 60 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Embedded object, unnamed_view_0 |
| NVDA 2016.2 | FF 48 | Reading | No description of non-text content. | Iframe, button play. Button mute. Out of iframe. |
| NVDA 2016.2 | IE11 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Embedded object, unnamed_view_0 |
| NVDA 2015.2 | FF 38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | Blank |
| NVDA 2015.2 | IE11 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Embedded object, unnamed_view_0 |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Chrome 120 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | FF 115 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2023.2311.34 | Edge 120 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Chrome 105 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | FF 102 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2022.2207.25 | Edge 105 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Up down slider, one. Mute button. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF 91 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Play button. Up down slider, one. Mute button. Show more media controls, more options button. Left right slider, elapsed time colon zero 01. Video end. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button unavailable. Show more media controls, more options button unavailable. Video end. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF 78 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Video start. Left right slider, elapsed time colon zero 01. Video end. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF 68 | Reading | Only blanks voiced for embed - no indication it exists | Blank. Blank. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - video controls visible - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF 60 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF 52 | Reading | ALT not read, no description of non-text content. | Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
 JAWS 17.0.2619 | FF 48 | Reading | Alt text for embed frame. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Alt text for embed frame end. | |
| JAWS 17.0.2619 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | FF 41 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | FF 38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | FF 38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | FF 38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| WindowEyes 9.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| WindowEyes 8.4 | IE11 | Reading | ALT ignored, no description of non-text content | Unnamed 2 button. Slider. Play button. Stop button. Previous button. Rewind button. Fast forward button. Next button. Mute button. Slider. Show. Title. Author. Copyright. Quality icon button. Stopped, read-only, edit box metadata. |
| VoiceOver macOS 13.6 | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
| VoiceOver macOS 12.5 | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.11 | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.10 | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content | Newline |
| VoiceOver iOS 16.6 | Safari iOS 16.6 | Touch | Alt text for embed | |
| VoiceOver iOS 15.6 | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Alt text for embed | |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Play, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 9.1 | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
| VoiceOver iOS 8.3 | Safari iOS 8.3 | Touch | No description of non-text content | Start playback, button |
| Dolphin SR 15.05 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists | |
| SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists |
SortSite rules: AccWcag1-1.1.4
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