INPUT type=text with aria-describedby attribute Screen reader compatibility
Last updated: May 20, 2018
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 5 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: ARIA1
Code used for this test:
<label for='fname'>First name</label>
<input name='' type='text' id='fname' aria-describedby='int2'>
<span id='int2'>A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby. </span>
Reliability Trend
This graph shows reliability over time for this code in NVDA, JAWS, WindowEyes and Voiceover. Other screen readers don't have enough historical data yet to plot trends.
Change History
Last updated: May 20, 2018
NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2012.3 to NVDA 2017.3
NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2012.1 to NVDA 2017.3
JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 14.0.9002, but now OK in JAWS 17.0.2619
JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 13.0.852, but now OK in JAWS 17.0.2619
VoiceOver OS X Stable - OK from VoiceOver OSX 10.9 to VoiceOver OSX 10.12
VoiceOver iOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver iOS 7.1 to VoiceOver iOS 10.3
WindowEyes with IE Better - caused problems in WindowEyes 8.4, but now OK 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | FF60 | Reading | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF60 | Tabbing | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF48 | Tabbing | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | FF40 | Reading | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF40 | Tabbing | First name, edit, auto complete, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | FF28 | Reading | First name, edit, auto complete. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF28 | Tabbing | First name, edit, auto complete. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | FF28 | Reading | First name, edit, auto complete. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF28 | Tabbing | First name, edit, auto complete. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, blank | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF48 | Reading | First name. Blank edit, first name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF48 | Tabbing | Tab, first name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. Edit, first name edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | FF40 | Reading | First name, blank edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF40 | Tabbing | Tab, first name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. Edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | FF29 | Reading | First name, edit blank. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF29 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. Blank. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, type in text | |
![]() | FF29 | Reading | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | FF29 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. Blank. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | description read twice | First name, edit, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby |
![]() | FF28 | Reading | "edit" role sometimes not read out | First name. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby |
![]() | FF28 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | "edit" role sometimes not read out | First name. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. First name, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, edit. | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, edit | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, first name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | ARIA-DESCRIBEDBY not read when tabbing | First name, edit box |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | First name. First name, edit text, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 10.1.2 | Tabbing | First name, edit text, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | First name. First name, edit text, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 9.1.2 | Tabbing | First name, edit text, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | First name. First name, edit text ... The help tag is: A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 8.0.6 | Tabbing | First name, edit text ... The help tag is: A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Reading | First name, edit text ... The help tag is: A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari 7.0.3 | Tabbing | First name, edit text ... The help tag is: A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | First name, text field, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, double tap to edit | |
![]() | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | First name, text field, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, double tap to edit | |
![]() | Safari iOS 8.4 | Touch | First name, text field, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby, double tap to edit | |
![]() | Safari iOS 7.1 | Touch | First name, text field, a bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name. First name, edit. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | ARIA-DESCRIBEDBY not read when tabbing | Forms mode, first name, blank line, edit. |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | First name, editable text. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby | |
![]() | IE11 | Tabbing | First name, editable text, blank. A bit of instructions for this field linked with aria describedby |
SortSite rules: AccHtmlControlLabelMissing
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