Click Here link with aria-describedby
attribute
Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 12 screen reader / browser combinations
Tests if the user hears extra text describing the "Click Here" link when moving between links. Without extra text the user hears a sequence like "Click Here. Click Here. Click Here" when tabbing, using the read next link command, or the list links command. In reading mode the text surrounding the link helps explain what the link does.
By design aria-describedby produces different results to aria-labelledby because the Accessible Name and Description: Computation and API Mappings specification maps these to different accessibility API properties.
WCAG Technique: ARIA1
Code used for this test:
<a href='4567.html' aria-describedby='a-aria-describedby-clickhere'>Click Here</a>
<span id='a-aria-describedby-clickhere'>this is an aria described by</span>
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: December 12, 2023
NVDA with Chrome Stable - OK from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2012.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2023.3
JAWS with Chrome Stable - OK from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 18.0.5038, but now OK in JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 13.0.852, but now OK in JAWS 2023.2311.34
VoiceOver macOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver macOS 10.10, but now OK in VoiceOver macOS 13.6
VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 16.6
WindowEyes with IE Causes problems in WindowEyes 9.2
Dolphin with IE Causes problems in Dolphin SR 15.05
SaToGo with IE OK in SaToGo 3.4.96.0
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 115 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 120 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 102 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 91 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 78 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 68 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 48 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 48 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 40 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 40 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 28 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 28 | Tabbing | click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 28 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 28 | Tabbing | click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 115 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Edge 120 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 102 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Edge 105 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 91 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Edge 94 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 78 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Edge 92 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 68 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Tab, click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 60 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Tab, click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Tab, click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 52 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 52 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Tab, click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | aria-describedby isn't read when tabbing | Tab, click here, link |
![]() | FF 48 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 48 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is read when tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | aria-describedby isn't read when tabbing | Click here, link |
![]() | FF 40 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 40 | Tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 29 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 29 | Tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link, click here. This is an aria described by. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here, link, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | FF 29 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | FF 29 | Tabbing | click here link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | reads out aria-describedby twice | click here link, this is an aria described by, this is an aria described by |
![]() | FF 28 | Reading | link click here, use Jaws key plus ALT plus R to read descriptive text | |
![]() | FF 28 | Tabbing | reads out aria-describedby twice | link click here, use Jaws key plus ALT plus R to read descriptive text, this is an aria described by, this is an aria described by |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | link click here | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | reads out aria-describedby twice | click here link, this is an aria described by, this is an aria described by |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads out what's on screen in reading order | Link click here. This is an aria described by |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | aria-describedby isn't read | Link click here |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Reads out what's on screen in reading order | Link click here. This is an aria described by |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | aria-describedby isn't read | Link click here |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 12.1 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Tabbing | Link, click here, this is an aria described by. | |
![]() | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | aria-describedby is only read after long pause, unless it's next in reading order | Link, click here... The help tag is: this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by |
![]() | Safari 8.0.6 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is only read after long pause | Link, click here... The help tag is: this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Reading | aria-describedby is only read after long pause, unless it's next in reading order | Link, click here... The help tag is: this is an aria described by. This is an aria described by |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Tabbing | aria-describedby is only read after long pause | Link, click here... The help tag is: this is an aria described by. |
![]() | Safari iOS 16.6 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.4 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | Safari iOS 7.1 | Touch | Click here, link, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Click here, link. This is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | aria-describedby isn't read | Click here, link |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Link click here, this is an aria described by | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | Click here link, this is an aria described by |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlLinkTextAmbiguous
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