embed inside figure with figcaption Screen reader compatibility

HTML
Dec 12, 2023

Expected Result: works in a screen reader

Actual Result: causes problems in 2 screen reader / browser combinations

Code used for this test:


		<figure>
			<embed type='video/mp4' src='small.mp4' width='100' height='100'></embed>
			<figcaption>Figure caption for embed</figcaption>
		</figure>
	

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.

100%80%60%40%20%0%2015100%201683%201783%2018100%2019100%2020100%2021100%2022100%2023100%

Change History

Last updated: December 12, 2023

  • Good NVDA with Chrome Stable - OK from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
  • Good NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
  • Good NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2023.3
  • Good JAWS with Chrome Stable - OK from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
  • Good JAWS with IE Stable - OK from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • Better JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 18.0.5038, but now OK in JAWS 2023.2311.34
  • Good VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.10 to VoiceOver macOS 13.6
  • Good VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 8.3 to VoiceOver iOS 16.6
  • Good WindowEyes with IE Stable - OK from WindowEyes 8.4 to WindowEyes 9.2
  • Good Dolphin with IE OK in Dolphin SR 15.05
  • Good SaToGo with IE OK in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
OK NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading Has details, grouping unavailable, menu button submenu, show more media controls. Caption, figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading Figure frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of figure.
OK NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Has details, grouping unavailable, menu button submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of grouping.
OK NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading Has details, menu button submenu, show more media controls. Caption, figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading Figure frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of figure.
OK NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Has details, menu button submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of grouping.
OK NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading Grouping button play. Button mute. Button show more media controls. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of grouping.
OK NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading Figure frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of figure.
OK NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Grouping, video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of grouping.
OK NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading Figure button unavailable, play. Button unavailable, show more media controls. Video time scrubber zero o'clock slash zero o'clock, slider unavailable elapsed time, zero o'clock. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of figure.
OK NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading Figure frame. Out of frame, blank. Caption, Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Figure, video time scrubber 0:05 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:05. Caption, figure caption for embed. Out of figure.
OK NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading Button, show more media controls. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading Frame. Out of frame. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Embedded object, unnamed_view_0. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading Button, show more media controls. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Embedded object, unnamed_view_0. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Embedded object, unnamed_view_0. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading Iframe, button play. Button mute. Out of iframe. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Embedded object, unnamed_view_0. Figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2015.2FF 38 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Blank, figure caption for embed.
OK NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading Reads out FIGCAPTION Embedded object, unnamed_view_0. Figure caption for embed.
OK JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Video start. Has details, show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. Has details, figure caption for embed.
OK JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Video start. Has details, show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end. Has details, figure caption for embed.
OK JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Video start, has details. Show more media controls, more options button menu, has details. Video end, has details. Entering details, figure caption for embed, has details.
OK JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Video start, has details. Show more media controls, more options button menu, has details. Video end, has details. Entering details, figure caption for embed, has details.
OK JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Left right slider, elapsed time, colon zero 01. Video end. Figure caption for embed. Group end.
OK JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed. 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. Figure caption for embed. Group end.
OK JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Play button unavailable. Show more media controls, more options button unavailable. Video end. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed. 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. Figure caption for embed. Group end.
OK JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed, figure end.
OK JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
Fail JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading Figure caption not read. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
OK JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
Fail JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading Embed object filename read out, figure caption not read. Small dot MP4 frame. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. Small dot MP4 frame end.
OK JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed Figure caption for embed Group end.
OK JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK JAWS 15.0.9023FF 38 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed Figure caption for embed Group end.
OK JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK JAWS 14.0.9002FF 38 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed Figure caption for embed Group end.
OK JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK JAWS 13.0.852FF 38 Reading Group start, figure caption for embed. Figure caption for embed. Group end
OK JAWS 13.0.852IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading FIGCAPTION read out Figure, figure caption for embed.
OK WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading FIGCAPTION read out 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. Figure caption for embed.
OK VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading Figure caption for embed, figure. Figure caption for embed. End of, figure caption for embed, figure.
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 8.0.6 Reading Newline. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6Touch Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6Touch Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7Touch Play, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3Touch Play, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4Touch Play, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4Touch Play, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3Touch Start playback, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1Touch Start playback, button. Figure caption for embed
OK VoiceOver iOS 8.3Safari iOS 8.3Touch Start playback, button. Figure caption for embed
OK Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading Normal, figure caption for embed
OK SaToGo 3.4.96.0IE11 Reading Figure caption for embed

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