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hyperlink element (html)

Screen Reader support level: partial (163/165)

Voice Control support level: partial (53/75)

On this page

About this feature

If the a element has an href attribute, then it represents a hyperlink (a hypertext anchor) labeled by its contents.

Age of results

Results across all tests for this feature range from 4 years ago to 6 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Failing or partial results may be out of date.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 6 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 rolesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST convey the boundaries of the elementsupportedsupportedsupportedpartial (4/5)supportedsupportedsupportedpartial (4/5)supportedsupportedsupported
SHOULD provide shortcuts to jump to this rolesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MAY convey the visited statesupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupported

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 applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedpartial (4/5)partial (4/5)unknownunknown

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 a link as something like "<name>, link"
  • Voice control software might let a user say something like "click link"
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
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
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportednot applicablesupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown

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 might announce a link as something like "<name>, link"
  • Voice control software might let a user say something like "click <name>"
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its name'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
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
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedunknownunknown
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenoneunknownunknown

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 an inline link as something like "<name>, link"
  • A screen reader might announce when it enter and exits a links the spans multiple lines.
  • A screen reader might announce the link role for every line that the links spans
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey the boundaries of the element'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedpartialsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedpartialsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: provide shortcuts to jump to this role

Rationale:

Screen reader users might want to quickly navigate to elements of this type.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: SHOULD
  • Voice Control: NA
Screen Reader support for 'SHOULD provide shortcuts to jump to this role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 1 - A link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 3 - A link in a listsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Expectation: convey the visited state

Rationale:

A user might want to know that they have already visted the link

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MAY
  • Voice Control: NA
Screen Reader support for 'MAY convey the visited state'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 4 - A visited linksupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupported
TestLast update
HTML links example 1 - A link by itself2021-07-30
HTML links example 2 - A link in a paragraph2021-07-30
HTML links example 3 - A link in a list2021-07-30
HTML links example 4 - A visited link2021-07-30
HTML links example 5 - A link that wraps many elements2021-07-30

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