audio with no description
Screen reader compatibility
Last updated: October 16, 2021
Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers
Actual Result: causes problems in 58 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:
<audio>
<source type='audio/mp3' src='harpsicord.mp3'></source>
</audio>
Change History
Last updated: October 16, 2021
- NVDA with Chrome
Causes problems from
NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2021.2
- NVDA with IE
Causes problems from
NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
- NVDA with FF
Causes problems from
NVDA 2015.2 to NVDA 2021.2
- JAWS with Chrome
Causes problems from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2021.2107.12
- 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 2021.2107.12
VoiceOver macOS
Better - caused problems in
VoiceOver macOS 10.14,
but now OK in VoiceOver macOS 11.5- VoiceOver iOS
Causes problems from
VoiceOver iOS 8.3 to VoiceOver iOS 14.7
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF91 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF78 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF68 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF60 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | FF60 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2016.2 | FF48 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2016.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2015.2 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| NVDA 2015.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF91 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF78 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF68 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF60 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | FF52 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 18.0.5038 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 17.0.2619 | FF48 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 17.0.2619 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | FF41 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 16.0.4350 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 15.0.9023 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 14.0.9002 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | FF38 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| JAWS 13.0.852 | IE11 | Reading | No description of non-text content | Audio start. Group start audio. Group end. Audio end. |
| WindowEyes 9.2 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| WindowEyes 8.4 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
 VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.13 | Safari 12.1 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.12 | Safari 10.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.11 | Safari 9.1.2 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.10 | Safari 8.0.6 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 11.4 | Safari iOS 11.4 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 10.3 | Safari iOS 10.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 9.1 | Safari iOS 9.1 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| VoiceOver iOS 8.3 | Safari iOS 8.3 | Touch | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| Dolphin SR 15.05 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists | |
| SaToGo 3.4.96.0 | IE11 | Reading | Nothing voiced for audio - no indication it exists |
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