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menuitem role (aria)

Screen Reader support level: partial (20/22)

Voice Control support level: partial (7/15)

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About this feature

An option in a set of choices contained by a menu or menubar.

Age of results

Results across all tests for this feature range from 3 years ago to 5 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Failing or partial results may be out of date.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 5 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 rolesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey the namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MAY convey information about the position the menu item in the menusupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportednonenonenonenone

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 rolesupportedsupportednot applicablenoneunknownsupportedunknownunknown
MUST convey the namesupportedsupportedsupportednoneunknownsupportedunknownunknown

Expectation: convey its role

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to be aware that they are interacting with a menu item

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: MUST

Examples:

  • The role may be explicitly conveyed as something like "menu item"
  • The role may be implied by the announcement of a menu context
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
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 Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportednot applicablenoneunknownsupportedunknownunknown

Expectation: convey the name

Rationale:

A screen reader user needs to know what the menu item does

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST
  • Voice Control: MUST
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the name'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
Voice Control support for 'MUST convey the name'
TestDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportednoneunknownsupportedunknownunknown

Expectation: convey information about the position the menu item in the menu

Rationale:

The user should be able to determine how many options are in the list and where they are in the list

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MAY
  • Voice Control: NA

Examples:

  • A screen reader might announce "<name> <role> <2 of 10>" when navigating through a menu
Screen Reader support for 'MAY convey information about the position the menu item in the menu'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendantsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportednonenonenonenone
TestLast update
APG Actions Menu Button Example Using aria-activedescendant2021-11-10

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