Nested ARIA headings Screen reader compatibility
ARIA HTML
Nov 26, 2024
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 87 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:
<div role='heading' aria-level='1'>First level heading
<div role='heading' aria-level='2'>Second level heading</div>
</div>
<p>Heading 2 content</p>
Change History
Last updated: November 26, 2024
NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Causes problems from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2024.4
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Causes problems from JAWS 13.0.852 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.9 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 14.7, but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 17.7
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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 131 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 128 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Edge 131 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 115 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Edge 120 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 102 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Edge 105 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 91 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Edge 94 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 78 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Edge 92 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 68 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 60 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 60 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 48 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 41 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | FF 29 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, Second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | ARIA headings ignored. | |
![]() | FF 29 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, Second level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2, heading level 1 |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | ARIA headings ignored. | |
![]() | Chrome 131 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 128 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Edge 131 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 115 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Edge 120 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 102 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Edge 105 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 91 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Edge 94 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 78 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Edge 92 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 68 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 60 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 52 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 48 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | FF 41 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | FF 29 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | FF 29 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | FF 29 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Second level heading ignored. | First level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading 1, first level heading, heading 2, second level heading. Heading 1, heading 2, second level heading. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | ARIA headings ignored. | |
![]() | Safari 17.6 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2, second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2 second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 9.0.1 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2 second level heading. |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Heading | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | Heading level 1 2 items, first level heading, heading level 2 second level heading. |
![]() | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | Headings voiced correctly. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Safari iOS 16.6 | Touch | Headings voiced correctly. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Headings voiced correctly. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 2. |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.4 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | Safari iOS 7.1 | Touch | Reader gets very confused over heading level. | First level heading, heading level 1. Second level heading, heading level 1. |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | ARIA headings ignored. | |
![]() | IE11 | Heading | ARIA headings ignored. |
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