embed with aria-labelledby attribute Screen reader compatibility

ARIA HTML WCAG
Nov 26, 2024

Expected Result: works in a screen reader

Actual Result: causes problems in 58 screen reader / browser combinations

Note: The ARIA Text Alternative Computation allows objects to be labelled by items hidden by CSS

WCAG Technique: ARIA10: Using aria-labelledby to provide a text alternative for non-text content

Code used for this test:


		<embed aria-labelledby='embed-aria-labelledby-id' type='video/mp4' src='small.mp4' width='100' height='100'></embed>
		<p id='embed-aria-labelledby-id' style='display:none'>This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text</p>
	

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%201517%201633%201717%201838%201938%202013%202125%202238%202338%202450%

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 2015.2 to NVDA 2019.2
  • NVDA with FF Better - caused problems in NVDA 2020.2, but now OK in NVDA 2024.4
  • JAWS with Chrome Causes problems in JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 16.0.4350, but now OK in JAWS 2019.1912.1
  • JAWS with FF Causes problems in JAWS 2024.2409.2
  • VoiceOver macOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver macOS 10.14, but now OK in 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
Screen readerBrowserModeNotesWhat the user hears
NVDA 2024.4Chrome 131 Reading No description of non-text content. Grouping unavailable, menu button, submenu, show more media controls.
NVDA 2024.4FF 128 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame, button play. Button mute. Blank. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2024.4Edge 131 Reading The text 0:00 is voiced as 'midnight' This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text. Grouping unavailable, menu button, submenu, show more media controls. Video time scrubber slider total time 0:05, elapsed time midnight.
NVDA 2023.3Chrome 120 Reading No description of non-text content. Grouping unavailable, menu button, submenu, show more media controls.
NVDA 2023.3FF 115 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2023.3Edge 120 Reading aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Menu button, submenu, show more media controls.
NVDA 2022.2Chrome 105 Reading No description of non-text content. Menu button, submenu, show more media controls.
NVDA 2022.2FF 102 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2022.2Edge 105 Reading aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Menu button, submenu, show more media controls.
NVDA 2021.2Chrome 94 Reading No description of non-text content. Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01.
NVDA 2021.2FF 91 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2021.2Edge 94 Reading aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video time scrubber 0:01 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:01.
NVDA 2020.2Chrome 86 Reading No description of non-text content. Button unavailable, play. Button unavailable, show more media controls.
NVDA 2020.2FF 78 Reading No description of non-text content. Frame. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2020.2Edge 92 Reading aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Button, play. Button, mute. Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber 0:05 / 0:05 slider elapsed time, 0:05.
NVDA 2019.2Chrome 79 Reading No description of non-text content. Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05, slider video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05.
NVDA 2019.2FF 68 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2019.2IE11 Reading No description of non-text content. Embedded object, unnamed_view_0
NVDA 2018.4Chrome 73 Reading No description of non-text content. Button, show more media controls. Video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05, slider video time scrubber midnight slash 24:05.
NVDA 2018.4FF 60 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text, frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame, blank.
NVDA 2018.4IE11 Reading No description of non-text content. Embedded object, unnamed_view_0
NVDA 2017.3FF 60 Reading No description of non-text content. Frame, button play. Button mute. Out of frame.
NVDA 2017.3IE11 Reading No description of non-text content. Embedded object, unnamed_view_0
NVDA 2016.2FF 48 Reading No description of non-text content. Iframe, button play. Button mute. Out of iframe.
NVDA 2016.2IE11 Reading No description of non-text content. Embedded object, unnamed_view_0
NVDA 2015.2FF 41 Reading Embedded object, clickable, this is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
NVDA 2015.2IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 2024.2409.2Chrome 131 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2024.2409.2FF 128 Reading No description of non-text content Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 2024.2409.2Edge 131 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2023.2311.34Chrome 120 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2023.2311.34FF 115 Reading No description of non-text content Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 2023.2311.34Edge 120 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2022.2207.25Chrome 105 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2022.2207.25FF 102 Reading No description of non-text content Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 2022.2207.25Edge 105 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button menu. Video end.
JAWS 2021.2107.12Chrome 94 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Play button. Up down slider, one. Mute button. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end.
JAWS 2021.2107.12FF 91 Reading No description of non-text content Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 2021.2107.12Edge 94 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Left right slider, elapsed time, colon zero 01. Video end.
JAWS 2020.2008.24Chrome 86 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Play button unavailable. Show more media controls, more options button unavailable. Video end.
JAWS 2020.2008.24FF 78 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 2020.2008.24Edge 92 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Left right slider, elapsed time, colon zero 01. Video end.
JAWS 2019.1912.1Chrome 79 Reading Group start, this is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Group end.
JAWS 2019.1912.1FF 68 Reading Only blanks voiced for embed - no indication it exists Blank. Blank.
JAWS 2019.1912.1IE11 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
JAWS 2018.1811.2Chrome 73 Reading Group start, this is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text. Video start. Show more media controls, more options button. Video end. Group end.
JAWS 2018.1811.2FF 60 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 2018.1811.2IE11 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
JAWS 18.0.5038FF 52 Reading Aria-labelledby not read - no description of non-text content. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end.
JAWS 18.0.5038IE11 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
JAWS 17.0.2619FF 48 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text frame. Video start. Play button. Mute button. Video end. This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text frame end.
JAWS 17.0.2619IE11 Reading This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
JAWS 16.0.4350FF 41 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 16.0.4350IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 15.0.9023FF 41 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 15.0.9023IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 14.0.9002FF 41 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
JAWS 14.0.9002IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
WindowEyes 9.2IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
WindowEyes 8.4IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no indication it exists
VoiceOver macOS 14.6Safari 17.6 Reading Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object
VoiceOver macOS 13.6Safari 16.6 Reading Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object
VoiceOver macOS 12.5Safari 15.6 Reading Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object
VoiceOver macOS 11.5Safari 15.0 Reading Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object
VoiceOver macOS 10.15Safari 14.1 Reading Nothing displayed on screen and nothing voiced for object
VoiceOver macOS 10.14Safari 13.0 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content
VoiceOver macOS 10.13Safari 12.1 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content
VoiceOver macOS 10.12Safari 10.1.2 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content
VoiceOver macOS 10.11Safari 9.1.2 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content
VoiceOver macOS 10.10Safari 9.0.1 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - no description of non-text content
VoiceOver iOS 17.7Safari iOS 17.7Touch This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
VoiceOver iOS 16.6Safari iOS 16.6Touch This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
VoiceOver iOS 15.6Safari iOS 15.6Touch This is ARIA-LABELLEDBY text
VoiceOver iOS 14.7Safari iOS 14.7TouchNo description of non-text content Play, button
VoiceOver iOS 13.3Safari iOS 13.3TouchNo description of non-text content Play, button
VoiceOver iOS 12.4Safari iOS 12.4TouchNo description of non-text content Play, button
VoiceOver iOS 11.4Safari iOS 11.4TouchNo description of non-text content Play, button
VoiceOver iOS 10.3Safari iOS 10.3TouchNo description of non-text content Start playback, button
VoiceOver iOS 9.1Safari iOS 9.1TouchNo description of non-text content Start playback, button
VoiceOver iOS 8.4Safari iOS 8.4TouchNo description of non-text content Start playback, button
Dolphin SR 15.05IE11 Reading Nothing voiced for embed - 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