datalist element (html)
Screen Reader support level: partial (19/22)
Voice Control support level: supported with 2 unknown results
On this page
About this feature
The datalist element represents a set of option elements that represent predefined options for other controls. It is attached to an input via the list attribute.
Age of results
Results across all tests for this feature range from 3 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Failing or partial results may be out of date.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 4 years ago. Consider running the associated tests and contributing results.
Expectations
Screen Reader support by expectation
| Expectation | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Firefox | Chrome | Safari | Safari | |
| MUST convey its role | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | partial | supported | supported | none |
| MUST convey the boundaries of the element | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | none |
| SHOULD convey that changes in suggestions were made | none | none | none | supported | none | none | none | none | supported | none | none |
Voice Control support by expectation
| Expectation | Dragon Naturally Speaking | Voice Access (Android) | Voice Control (iOS) | Voice Control (MacOS) | Windows Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Chrome | Safari | Safari | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Chrome | |
| MUST convey its role | supported | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | unknown | unknown |
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 something like the "datalist", "listbox" role when entering the datalist. Note that it should not be conveyed as a menu per the AAM mappings.
- A screen reader might not announce the datalist role because it is implied by the presence of suggestions or auto complete functionality via the list attribute.
- Voice control software might let the user say something like "show choices" to open the datalist.
| Test | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Firefox | Chrome | Safari | Safari | |
| HTML input with datalist test | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | partial | supported | supported | none |
| Test | Dragon Naturally Speaking | Voice Access (Android) | Voice Control (iOS) | Voice Control (MacOS) | Windows Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Chrome | Safari | Safari | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Chrome | |
| HTML input with datalist test | supported | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | not applicable | unknown | unknown |
Expectation: convey the boundaries of the element
Rationale:
A user needs to know when they enter and exit an element
Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:
- Screen Readers: MUST
- Voice Control: NA
Examples:
- A screen reader might announce the role of the element when entering and say something like "leaving" when exiting.
- A screen reader might not explicitly announce entering and existing the element, but instead imply that the is in the containing object by conveying the roles of required children (options in a listbox for example).
- A screen reader might announce position in set information such as "1 of 6".
- A screen reader might not convey boundaries if the content fits on a single line
| Test | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Firefox | Chrome | Safari | Safari | |
| HTML input with datalist test | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | supported | none |
Expectation: convey that changes in suggestions were made
Rationale:
The user needs to know that the list of suggestions changed
Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:
- Screen Readers: SHOULD
- Voice Control: NA
Examples:
- A screen reader might announce the word "suggestions" whenever the list of suggestions changes.
- A screen reader might announce the value of every suggestion when the list of suggestions changes.
Related features
These are features that are usually used in combination with this feature.
list attribute (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access | Windows | Mac | iOS | Android Keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | no known support | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown | unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
option element (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access | Windows | Mac | iOS | Android Keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| partial (1/6) | supported with 1 unknown result | partial (4/6) | partial (14/16) | partial (3/6) | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | no known support | partial (2/6) | partial (4/6) | partial (2/6) | partial (4/10) | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
We are missing data on some combinations.
optgroup element (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access | Windows | Mac | iOS | Android Keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown | no known support | no known support | partial (3/10) | no known support | partial (1/4) | unknown | unknown | unknown | partial (2/4) | partial (1/4) | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |