PDF16 Document default language set to French Screen reader compatibility
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 45 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: PDF16 Setting the default language using the /Lang entry in the document catalog of a PDF document
Code used for this test:
<a href='SR_PDF_lang.pdf'>SR_PDF_lang.pdf</a>
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: November 26, 2024
NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2024.4
NVDA with IE Stable - OK from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
NVDA with FF Better - caused problems in NVDA 2021.2, but now OK in NVDA 2024.4
JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2024.2409.2
JAWS with IE Better - caused problems in JAWS 2018.1811.2, but now OK in JAWS 2019.1912.1
JAWS with FF Better - caused problems in JAWS 2021.2107.12, but now OK in JAWS 2024.2409.2
VoiceOver macOS Causes problems from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 14.6
VoiceOver iOS Causes problems from VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 17.7
Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Chrome 131 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 128 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 131 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as French | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as French | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as French | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Chrome 131 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 128 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 131 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 120 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 115 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 120 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 105 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 102 | Reading | Document pronounced as French, document language applied | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Edge 105 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 94 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 91 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Edge 94 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 86 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 78 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Edge 92 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 79 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 68 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as French | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Chrome 73 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | FF 60 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | IE11 | Reading | Pronounced as French | Act-eef tab-le |
![]() | Safari 17.6 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 15.6 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari iOS 17.7 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari 16.6 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari iOS 15.6 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
![]() | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Pronounced as English, document language ignored | Act-if tay-bill |
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