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aria-live attribute (aria)

Screen Reader support level: partial (38/44)

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About this feature

Indicates that an element will be updated, and describes the types of updates the user agents, assistive technologies, and user can expect from the live region.

Age of results

Results across all tests for this feature range from a year ago to 4 years ago. Detailed dates and version information can be found in associated tests.

Caution

Failing or partial results may be out of date. The oldest result is from a year ago. Consider running the associated tests and contributing results.

Expectations

What are expectations?

Screen Reader support by expectation

ExpectationJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
MUST announce changes to the live regionsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey the off value by not announcing changes to the live regionsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey the polite value by not interrupting the current announcementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednone
MUST convey the assertive value by interrupting the current announcementnonenonenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupported

Expectation: announce changes to the live region

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Screen readers will automatically announce the live region as long as aria-live is not set to "off".
Screen Reader support for 'MUST announce changes to the live region'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
aria-live test applied to: div elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey the off value by not announcing changes to the live region

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Screen readers will not announce changes to content within aria-live="off".
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the off value by not announcing changes to the live region'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
aria-live test applied to: div elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey the polite value by not interrupting the current announcement

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Screen readers will changes to content within aria-live="polite" after other announcements finish.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the polite value by not interrupting the current announcement'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
aria-live test applied to: div elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednone

Expectation: convey the assertive value by interrupting the current announcement

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Screen readers will announce changes to content within aria-live="assertive" as soon as those changes are made and interrupt any current announcements, or announce it immediately after the current announcement but before anything else in the announcement queue.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the assertive value by interrupting the current announcement'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
aria-live test applied to: div elementnonenonenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupported