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combobox role (aria)

Screen Reader support level: supported

Voice Control support level: supported

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About this feature

A composite widget containing a single-line textbox and another element, such as a listbox or grid, that can dynamically pop up to help the user set the value of the textbox.

Age of results

Results across all tests for this feature range from 8 months ago to 3 years ago. Detailed dates and version information can be found in associated tests.

Failing and partial results are between 8 months ago and 8 months ago.

Expectations

What are expectations?

Screen Reader support by expectation

ExpectationJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey its rolesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey that the combobox is editablesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey changes in valuesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey the current valuesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Voice Control support by expectation

ExpectationDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey its rolesupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey its name

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to know what to enter.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: MUST

Examples:

  • A screen reader might convey the name as something like "<role>, <name>, <value>" (order varies by screen reader and settings)
  • Voice control software might allow the user to say "click <name>" to focus the combobox
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its name'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
Voice Control support for 'MUST convey its name'
TestDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey its role

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to know how they can interact with the element. Voice control software might use the role to help users activate controls that do not have a visible name.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: MUST

Examples:

  • A screen reader might convey the role as something like "combo box"
  • Voice control software might allow the user to say "click text box" to focus an editable combobox
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
Voice Control support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey that the combobox is editable

Rationale:

users should be made aware that they can type into a combobox. Not all comboboxes are editable.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • A screen reader might convey that the combobox is editable by announcing something like "editable"
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey that the combobox is editable'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey changes in value

Rationale:

The user needs to know that the value was successfully changed.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • A screen reader might announce the new value after it has been changed
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey changes in value'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey the current value

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to know the current value of the input.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Notes:

Historically, this has not been a requirement explicitly defined in the ARIA spec. However, native counterparts do this, the value us displayed visually, and ARIA 1.2 (draft) does explicitly state this requirement.

Examples:

  • A screen reader might convey the value as something like "<role>, <name>, <value>" (order varies by screen reader and settings)
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the current value'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example applied to: input[type="text"] elementsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: provide shortcuts to jump to this role

Rationale:

Screen reader users might want to quickly navigate to elements of this type.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: SHOULD
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • A screen reader might provide a keyboard shortcut to jump to the next form control or provide a list of all form controls

No tests reference this expectation yet.

TestLast update
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example2023-08-22

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