PDF with doc security Screen reader compatibility

Expected Result: causes problems in some screen readers

Actual Result: causes problems in 27 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.

This is a PDF with Content Copying for Accessibility set to Not Allowed in Document Properties

Code used for this test:

		<a href='SR_PDF_doc_security.pdf'>SR_PDF_doc_security.pdf</a>
	

Change History

Last updated: December 12, 2023

• NVDA with Chrome Causes problems from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
• NVDA with IE Causes problems from NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
• NVDA with FF Stable - OK from NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2023.3
• JAWS with Chrome Causes problems from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
• JAWS with IE Causes problems from JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
• JAWS with FF Stable - OK from JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2023.2311.34
• VoiceOver macOS Stable - OK from VoiceOver macOS 10.14 to VoiceOver macOS 13.6
• VoiceOver iOS Better - caused problems in VoiceOver iOS 12.4, but now OK in VoiceOver iOS 16.6

Screen reader	Browser	Mode	Notes	What the user hears
NVDA 2023.3	Chrome 120	Reading	Document content not read	Blank
NVDA 2023.3	FF 115	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2023.3	Edge 120	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
NVDA 2022.2	Chrome 105	Reading	Document content not read	Embedded object unavailable
NVDA 2022.2	FF 102	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2022.2	Edge 105	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
NVDA 2021.2	Chrome 94	Reading	Document content not read	Embedded object unavailable
NVDA 2021.2	FF 91	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2021.2	Edge 94	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
NVDA 2020.2	Chrome 86	Reading	Document content not read	Embedded object unavailable
NVDA 2020.2	FF 78	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2020.2	Edge 92	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
NVDA 2019.2	Chrome 79	Reading	Document content not read	Embedded object
NVDA 2019.2	FF 68	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2019.2	IE11	Reading	Document content not read	Secured Acrobat Reader DC, AVPageView text frame
NVDA 2018.4	Chrome 73	Reading	Document content not read	Embedded object
NVDA 2018.4	FF 60	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
NVDA 2018.4	IE11	Reading	Document content not read	Secured Acrobat Reader DC, unknown
NVDA 2017.3	IE11	Reading	Document content not read	Secured Acrobat Reader DC, AVPageView text frame
JAWS 2023.2311.34	Chrome 120	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2023.2311.34	FF 115	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2023.2311.34	Edge 120	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Chrome 105	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2022.2207.25	FF 102	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2022.2207.25	Edge 105	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
JAWS 2021.2107.12	Chrome 94	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2021.2107.12	FF 91	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2021.2107.12	Edge 94	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
JAWS 2020.2008.24	Chrome 86	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2020.2008.24	FF 78	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2020.2008.24	Edge 92	Reading	Document content not read	This file has limited permissions. You may not have access to some features.
JAWS 2019.1912.1	Chrome 79	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2019.1912.1	FF 68	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2019.1912.1	IE11	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2018.1811.2	Chrome 73	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 2018.1811.2	FF 60	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
JAWS 2018.1811.2	IE11	Reading	Document content not read
JAWS 17.0.2007	IE11	Reading	Document content not read
VoiceOver macOS 13.6	Safari 16.6	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver macOS 12.5	Safari 15.6	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver macOS 11.5	Safari 15.0	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver macOS 10.15	Safari 14.1	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver macOS 10.14	Safari 13.0	Reading	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver iOS 16.6	Safari 16.6	Touch	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver iOS 15.6	Safari iOS 15.6	Touch	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver iOS 14.7	Safari iOS 14.7	Touch	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver iOS 13.3	Safari iOS 13.3	Touch	Reads document contents, and ignores document security.	This is a document with PDF document security set, using the Security tab in Adobe Acrobat Document Properties to disable screen reader access to the document.
VoiceOver iOS 12.4	Safari iOS 12.4	Touch	Document content not read

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