headers attribute (html)
Screen reader support level: partial (10/23)
Voice Control support level: unknown
On this page
- About this feature
- Age of results
- Expectations
- Related features
- Related tests
- Related AT or browser issues
- Is something not right?
About this feature
The headers attribute gives authors a way to override implicit cell headers (via <th> elements) to accurately describe the structure of complex tables to assistive technology. Note: this is a difficult feature to test, as implicit headers often interfere with results. It's not possible to tell where the header originitated from when testing with an assistive technology; is this header sourced implicitly (via <th> elements) or explicitly (via the headers attribute). Most real world tables that require the headers attribute also make use of implicit headers. Several tests are included for this feature because of this, and some of the results may be false negatives.
Age of results
Results across all tests for this feature range from 6 months ago to 3 years ago. Detailed dates and version information can be found in associated tests.
Failing and partial results are between 6 months ago and 3 years ago.
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 the defined cell headers | supported | supported | partial (1/2) | none | partial (1/2) | partial (1/2) | supported | none | none | none | partial (1/2) |
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 | |
| Not applicable | ||||||||
Expectation: convey the defined cell headers
Rationale:
The user needs to know which headers apply to the current cell
Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:
- Screen Readers: MUST
- Voice Control: NA
Examples:
- Screen readers will announce the headers defined by the attribute. The attribute value will override the implicit row and column headers.
| Test | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Edge | Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Firefox | Chrome | Safari | Safari | |
| headers attribute test - multi level applied to: td element; references: th element | supported | supported | supported | none | none | none | supported | none | none | none | supported |
| headers attribute test applied to: td element; references: th element | supported | supported | none | none | supported | supported | supported | none | none | none | none |
Related features
These are features that are usually used in combination with this feature.
table element (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown | unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown |
We are missing data on some combinations.
td element (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown | unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown |
We are missing data on some combinations.
th element (html)
| Dragon | JAWS | Narrator | NVDA | Orca | TalkBack | Voice Access | VC iOS | VC MacOS | VoiceOver (iOS) | VoiceOver (macOS) | Speech Recognition | Windows Voice Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown | unknown | supported with 1 unknown result | supported with 1 unknown result | unknown | unknown |
We are missing data on some combinations.