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menu role (aria)

Screen Reader support level: partial (28/33)

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About this feature

A type of widget that offers a list of choices to the user.

Age of results

Results across all tests for this feature range from 2 years 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Failing or partial results may be out of date.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 3 years ago. Consider running the associated tests and contributing results.

Expectations

What are expectations?

Screen Reader support by expectation

ExpectationJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
MUST convey its rolesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupported
MUST convey the name if namedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupportedsupportednonenone
MUST convey the boundaries of the menusupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey its role

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to be aware that elements are within a menu

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Some screen readers will explicitly convey the menu role as something like "<name> menu"
  • The role may be implied by the presence of menuitem children
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupported

Expectation: convey the name if named

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to be aware of the name of menu

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • The accessible name of the menu is announced when entering the menu.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the name if named'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupportedsupportednonenone

Expectation: convey the boundaries of the menu

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to be aware when they enter and exit a menu

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • Boundaries may be implied by posinset information
  • Boundaries may be implied by no longer conveying the menu item role (if the role is explicitly conveyed)
  • Boundaries may be implied by looping back to the top of the menu
  • Boundaries may be explicitly conveyed by announcing something like "<name> menu" when entering and "exiting menu" when leaving
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the boundaries of the menu'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
TestLast update
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendant2021-11-10

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