In the months of December 2023 and January 2024, WebAIM conducted annual survey to understand the preferences of screen reader users. The survey also highlighted the biggest accessibility challenges faced by users. Here, we’re including key survey findings as something to consider when creating accessible digital products.
- NVDA is the most commonly used screen reader, being used by 65.6% of respondents, overtaking JAWS, which had a 60.5% usage rate.
- For those using mobile or tablet devices, VoiceOver is the most commonly used screen reader.
- When navigating long web pages, a majority of respondents (71.6%) use headings for navigation. Others opted for the Find feature (13.6%), reading through the page (6.4%), or navigating via links (4.8%).
Problematic items
The most problematic items, in order are:
- CAPTCHA – images presenting text used to verify that you are a human user
- Interactive elements like menus, tabs, and dialogs do not behave as expected
- Links or buttons that do not make sense
- Screens or parts of screens that change unexpectedly
- Lack of keyboard accessibility
- Images with missing or improper descriptions (alt text)
- Complex or difficult forms
- Missing or improper headings
- Too many links or navigation items
- Complex data tables
- Inaccessible or missing search functionality
- Lack of “skip to main content” or “skip navigation” links
Check out the complete WebAIM’s Screen Reader User Survey report to discover additional insights.