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option role (aria)

Screen Reader support level: partial (17/22)

Voice Control support level: partial (11/14)

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About this feature

A selectable item in a select list.

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 namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportednone
MUST convey its rolesupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportednone
MAY convey information about the position the option in the listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonenonenone

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 namenonesupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey its rolenot applicablesupportednot applicablenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

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 will announce the name of the option
  • Voice control software will let the user say something like "choose <name>".
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its name'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Examplesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportednone
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 Examplenonesupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

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 announce "option" as the role.
  • A screen reader might not announce a role because the role is implied by the role of a listbox parent.
  • Voice control software will let the user say something like "move down <n>" or "move up <n>" to select an option.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Examplesupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportednone
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 Examplenot applicablesupportednot applicablenonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey information about the position the option in the list

Rationale:

users 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 "choose <2 of 10>" when navigating through a list of options
Screen Reader support for 'MAY convey information about the position the option in the list'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Examplesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenonenonenone
TestLast update
APG Editable Combobox With List Autocomplete Example2023-08-22

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