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placeholder link element (html)

Screen Reader support level: partial (86/99)

Voice Control support level: partial (20/45)

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About this feature

If the a element has no href attribute, then the element represents a placeholder for where a link might otherwise have been placed, if it had been relevant, consisting of just the element's 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Failing or partial results may be out of date.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 NOT convey the link role; OR MUST convey as a placeholder linksupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedpartial (2/3)
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
MUST NOT provide shortcuts to jump to this rolenonenonepartialsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported

Voice Control support by expectation

ExpectationDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
MUST NOT convey the link role; OR MUST convey as a placeholder linknonesupportednot applicablesupportednonenoneunknownunknown
MUST convey its namesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedpartial (2/3)noneunknownunknown

Expectation: convey the link role; OR MUST convey as a placeholder link

Rationale:

Since the link does not go anywhere, user needs to know that the link is not functional.

Strength of this expectation for different types of assistive technologies:

  • Screen Readers: MUST NOT
  • Voice Control: MUST NOT

Examples:

  • A screen reader might convey not convey any role for the link.
  • Voice control software will not suggest that the link is actionable.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST NOT convey the link role; OR MUST convey as a placeholder link'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 6 - A placeholder link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedpartial
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportednonesupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
Voice Control support for 'MUST NOT convey the link role; OR MUST convey as a placeholder link'
TestDragon Naturally SpeakingVoice Access (Android)Voice Control (iOS)Voice Control (MacOS)Windows Speech RecognitionWindows Voice Access
ChromeChromeSafariSafariEdgeChromeEdgeChrome
HTML links example 6 - A placeholder link by itselfnonesupportednot applicablesupportednonenoneunknownunknown
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraphnonesupportednot applicablesupportednonenoneunknownunknown
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder link that wraps many elementsnonesupportednot applicablesupportednonenoneunknownunknown

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 convey the text of the placeholder link
  • Voice control software might still recognize the name. This is helpful in cases where developers did not use semantic markup.
Screen Reader support for 'MUST convey its name'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 6 - A placeholder link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder 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 6 - A placeholder link by itselfsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednoneunknownunknown
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraphsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednonenoneunknownunknown
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder link that wraps many elementssupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportednoneunknownunknown

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: MUST NOT
  • Voice Control: NA
Screen Reader support for 'MUST NOT provide shortcuts to jump to this role'
TestJAWSNarratorNVDAOrcaTalkBackVoiceOver (iOS)VoiceOver (macOS)
ChromeEdgeFirefoxEdgeChromeEdgeFirefoxFirefoxChromeSafariSafari
HTML links example 6 - A placeholder link by itselfnonenonepartialsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraphnonenonepartialsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder link that wraps many elementsnonenonepartialsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupportedsupported
TestLast update
HTML links example 6 - A placeholder link by itself2021-07-30
HTML links example 7 - A placeholder link in a paragraph2021-07-30
HTML links example 8 - A placeholder link that wraps many elements2021-07-30

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