PDF6 Table with header markup Screen reader compatibility
Last updated: October 16, 2021
Expected Result: works in a screen reader
Actual Result: causes problems in 21 screen reader / browser combinations
WCAG Technique: PDF6 Using table elements for table markup in PDF Documents
Code used for this test:
<a href='SR_PDF_tables_headers.pdf'>SR_PDF_tables_headers.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: October 16, 2021
- NVDA with Chrome
Causes problems from
NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2021.2
- NVDA with IE
Stable - OK from
NVDA 2017.3 to NVDA 2019.2
- NVDA with FF
Causes problems from
NVDA 2018.4 to NVDA 2021.2
- JAWS with Chrome
Causes problems from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2021.2107.12
- JAWS with IE
Stable - OK from
JAWS 17.0.2007 to JAWS 2019.1912.1
- JAWS with FF
Causes problems from
JAWS 2018.1811.2 to JAWS 2021.2107.12
VoiceOver macOS
Worse - was OK in
VoiceOver macOS 10.15,
but now causes problems in VoiceOver macOS 11.5- VoiceOver iOS
Stable - OK from
VoiceOver iOS 12.4 to VoiceOver iOS 14.7
| Screen reader | Browser | Mode | Notes | What the user hears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVDA 2021.2 | Chrome 94 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2021.2 | FF91 | Reading | Voiced as table, but no cell headers voiced. | Table with 1 rows and 2 columns, column header, column 1, morning. Column 2, afternoon. Column 1, free. Column 2, busy. Out of table |
| NVDA 2021.2 | Edge 94 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Chrome 86 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2020.2 | FF78 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy |
| NVDA 2020.2 | Edge 92 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2019.2 | Chrome 79 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2019.2 | FF68 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy |
| NVDA 2019.2 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 rows and 2 columns, row 1, column 1, morning. Column 2, afternoon. Row 2, morning, column 1, free. Afternoon, column 2, busy. | |
| NVDA 2018.4 | Chrome 73 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| NVDA 2018.4 | FF60 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning. Afternoon. Free. Busy |
| NVDA 2018.4 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 rows and 2 columns, row 1, column 1, morning. Column 2, afternoon. Row 2, morning, column 1, free. Afternoon, column 2, busy. | |
| NVDA 2017.3 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 rows and 2 columns, row 1, column 1, morning. Column 2, afternoon. Row 2, morning, column 1, free. Afternoon, column 2, busy. | |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Chrome 94 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | FF91 | Reading | Incorrect cell headers voiced, and graphic role voiced for non-graphics. | Table with 2 columns and 2 rows. Morning, graphic (column 1). Afternoon, graphic (column 1). Free, graphic (morning afternoon, column 1). Busy, graphic (column 2). |
| JAWS 2021.2107.12 | Edge 94 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Chrome 86 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | FF78 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning, afternoon, free, busy. |
| JAWS 2020.2008.24 | Edge 92 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | Chrome 79 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | FF68 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2019.1912.1 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 columns and 2 rows. Morning (column 1, row 1, morning). Afternoon (column 2, row 1, afternoon). Free (column 1, row 2, morning, free). Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). | |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | Chrome 73 | Reading | No table structure voiced. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | FF60 | Reading | No table structure voiced - no table roles showing in Firefox accessibility inspector. | Morning, afternoon. Free, busy. |
| JAWS 2018.1811.2 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 columns and 2 rows. Morning (column 1, row 1, morning). Afternoon (column 2, row 1, afternoon). Free (column 1, row 2, morning, free). Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). | |
| JAWS 17.0.2007 | IE11 | Reading | Table with 2 columns and 2 rows. Morning (column 1, row 1, morning). Afternoon (column 2, row 1, afternoon). Free (column 1, row 2, morning, free). Busy (column 2, row 2, afternoon, busy). | |
| VoiceOver macOS 11.5 | Safari 15.0 | Reading | Row and column position voiced twice for data cells. | Table, no selection. Morning, heading, column 1, row 1. Afternoon, heading, column 2, row 1. Morning, free, column 1, row 2 column 1, row 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2, row 2, column 2, row 2. |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.15 | Safari 14.1 | Reading | Table, no selection. Morning, heading. Afternoon, heading. Morning, free, column 1, row 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2, row 2. | |
| VoiceOver macOS 10.14 | Safari 13.0 | Reading | Table, no selection. Morning, heading. Afternoon, heading. Morning, free, column 1, row 2. Afternoon, busy, column 2, row 2. | |
| VoiceOver iOS 14.7 | Safari iOS 14.7 | Touch | Morning, column header, row 1, column 1, heading, table start, 2 rows, 2 columns. Afternoon, column header, row 1, column 2, heading. Morning, free, row 2, column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2, column 2, table end. | |
| VoiceOver iOS 13.3 | Safari iOS 13.3 | Touch | Morning, column header, row 1, column 1, heading, table start, 2 rows, 2 columns. Afternoon, column header, row 1, column 2, heading. Morning, free, row 2, column 1. Afternoon, busy, row 2, column 2, table end. | |
| VoiceOver iOS 12.4 | Safari iOS 12.4 | Touch | Morning, row 1, column 1, heading, table start, 2 rows, 2 columns. Afternoon, row 1, column 2, heading. Free, row 2, column 1. Busy, row 2, column 2, table end. |
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