Screen Reader User Survey #6 Results

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Introduction

In July 2015, WebAIM conducted a survey of preferences of screen reader users. We received 2515 valid responses to this survey, our highest thus far. This was a follow-up survey to the original WebAIM Screen Reader User Survey of January 2009 and the follow-up surveys from October 2009, December 2010, May 2012, and January 2014. An additional survey was conducted October 2017

A few disclaimers and notices:

Totals may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Total responses (n) for each question may not equal 2515 due to respondents not answering that particular question.
The sample was not controlled and may not represent all screen reader users.
We hope to conduct additional surveys of this nature again in the future. If you have recommendations or questions you would like us to ask, please contact us.

Demographics

Region

Pie chart showing respondents region

Region of Respondents
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
North America	1680	69.4%
Europe/UK	422	17.4%
Australia and Oceania	131	5.4%
Asia	103	4.3%
South America	41	1.7%
Africa/Middle East	35	1.4%
Central America and Caribbean	9	0.4%

Disability Reported

Pie chart showing reported disability

Do you use a screen reader due to a disability?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Yes	2307	93.1%
No	171	6.9%

Some have inquired about why our data includes both users with and without disabilities. In general, we've found survey question responses to be very similar across these two groups. Any notable differences are detailed below to help us determine differences in practices or perceptions between the disability and the developer communities.

Disability Types

Which of the following disabilities do you have?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Blindness	1610	64%
Low Vision/Visually-Impaired	973	38.7%
Cognitive	44	1.7%
Deafness/Hard-of-Hearing	157	6.2%
Motor	60	2.4%
Other	65	2.6%

406 respondents (16.1%) reported multiple disabilities. 103 respondents (4.1%) reported being both deaf and blind.

Screen Reader Proficiency

Pie Chart of Screen Reader Proficiency

Please rate your screen reader proficiency
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Advanced	1232	50%
Intermediate	1029	42%
Beginner	189	8%

Screen reader proficiency reported on this survey is notably lower than previous surveys (50% indicate advanced proficiency compared to 58% in 2014). We believe this shift is largely due to the broader number of survey respondents. In short, the survey was distributed more widely and to less proficient users. This likely indicates that the responses to this survey are more reflective of the broader screen reader community.

Those who use screen readers due to a disability report themselves as more proficient with screen readers - 52% of those with disabilities considered their proficiency to be "Advanced" compared to only 28% of those without disabilities.

Internet Proficiency

Pie Chart of Internet Proficiency

Please rate your proficiency using the Internet
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Advanced	1479	60%
Intermediate	907	37%
Beginner	76	3%

Internet proficiency has generally remained similar across all surveys. Those without disabilities rate themselves as more proficient than those with disabilities.

Level of Employment

Pie Chart of Level of Employment

Please indicate your current level of employment
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Employed full time	986	40.7%
Employed part time	338	13.9%
Not employed	1101	45.4%

While retirement or respondents too young to work were not considered in these numbers, these results certainly reflect the significant unemployment and under-employment of individuals with disabilities. However, the number or respondents who reported a disability that are unemployed (47.3%) is notably lower than the 62.3% unemployment rate for working age adults with significant vision loss as reported by the NFB in 2012.

73.4% of those without disabilities were employed full time compared to only 38.3% of those with disabilities. Respondents with higher screen reader and internet proficiency were more likely to be employed.

Primary Screen Reader

Which of the following is your primary desktop/laptop screen reader?
Screen Reader	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
JAWS	743	30.2%
ZoomText	545	22.2%
Window-Eyes	508	20.7%
NVDA	360	14.6%
VoiceOver	188	7.6%
System Access or System Access To Go	36	1.5%
ChromeVox	8	0.3%
Other	72	2.9%

The following chart shows historical trends for primary screen reader usage.

Chart of primary screen reader usage showing decreases in JAWS, etc. and significant increases in ZoomText and Window-Eyes.

ZoomText (1.3% to 22.2%) and Window-Eyes (6.7% to 20.7%) both saw very significant increases in usage since January 2014. This reflects a very substantial decrease in JAWS usage since January 2014 - from 50% to 30%. JAWS has seen a continual decrease in usage over time from a high of 74% on our first survey in 2009. VoiceOver and NVDA have also seen slight decreases in usage. Much of the Window-Eyes increase can likely be attributed to its free availability to Microsoft Office users. The ZoomText increase is both notable and surprising. Is is used as a primary screen reader as often as both NVDA (14.6%) and VoiceOver (7.6%) combined. While they were not listed as response options for simplicity's sake, the survey comments indicate that Orca, SuperNova, and Speakup (among others) were common "Other" screen readers.

For respondents that report blindness, 38.9% use JAWS, 26.5% use Window-Eyes, 16.9% use NVDA, 8.7% use VoiceOver, and 4.6% use ZoomText. For respondents that report having low vision, 53.5% use ZoomText, 16.5% use JAWS, 12.2% use Window-Eyes, 8.7% use NVDA, and 4.6% use VoiceOver. ZoomText was also more commonly used by users with auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities than by users with blindness.

Respondents with lower screen reader proficiency were much more likely to use ZoomText than any other screen reader whereas those with advanced proficiency favored JAWS. Respondents with disabilities were twice as likely to use Window-Eyes as those without disabilities.

Note

Read additional commentary on the increase of ZoomText and Window-Eyes on our blog at http://webaim.org/blog/resugence-of-zoomtext-and-window-eyes/. We believe these data indicate a significant shift in the field.

Browsers

Chart showing browser usage

When using your primary screen reader, which browser do you use most often?
Browser	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Internet Explorer 10+	852	34.9%
Firefox	735	30.1%
Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8	313	12.8%
Safari	192	7.9%
Chrome	155	6.3%
Internet Explorer 9	142	5.8%
Others	54	2.2%

Internet Explorer (all versions) usage decreased to 53.5% from 58.7% in January 2014 and 67.5% in May 2012, but it is still the most commonly used browser. This is a significantly higher usage of IE than that of the general population (most statistics place it around 10%). 12.8% of respondents still use IE6, 7, or 8 - notable due to the lack of ARIA support in these browser versions. Chrome usage at 6.4% (up from 2.8% in January 2014) is just a fraction of the overall usage of Chrome in the general population. Firefox usage was up in the last 18 months (24.2% to 30.1%) and Safari usage was down (10.0% to 7.9%).

Screen Reader / Browser Combinations

If you don't consider versions of Internet Explorer, the most common combinations are:

JAWS with IE - 23.9%
Window-Eyes with IE - 14.9%
NVDA with Firefox - 11.4%
ZoomText with IE - 9.8%
ZoomText with Firefox - 6.9%
VoiceOver with Safari - 6.8%

Most common screen reader and browser combinations
Browser	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
JAWS with Internet Explorer 10+	401	16.6%
NVDA with Firefox	275	11.4%
Window-Eyes with Internet Explorer 10+	218	9.0%
ZoomText with Firefox	166	6.9%
VoiceOver with Safari	165	6.8%
ZoomText with Internet Explorer 10+	139	5.8%
JAWS with Firefox	137	5.7%
JAWS with Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8	116	4.8%
Window-Eyes with Firefox	113	4.7%
Window-Eyes with Internet Explorer 6, 7, or 8	108	4.5%
ZoomText with Chrome	95	3.9%
Other combinations	477	19.8%

There are many combinations that are used. This highlights the need for increased screen reader and browser support for web standards because of the great difficulty for web authors to test in all common screen reader / browser combinations.

Screen Readers Commonly Used

Which of the following desktop/laptop screen readers do you commonly use?
Screen Reader	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
JAWS	1098	43.7%
NVDA	1040	41.4%
VoiceOver	778	30.9%
Window-Eyes	745	29.6%
ZoomText	691	27.5%
System Access or System Access To Go	173	6.9%
ChromeVox	71	2.8%
Other	163	6.5%

JAWS usage is down from 63.9% in January 2014 to 43.7% (from a high of 74% in January 2009). Window-Eyes usage doubled and ZoomText usage increased over 5 times in the last 18 months! System Access (26.2% to 6.9%), NVDA (from 51.2% to 41.4%), VoiceOver (from 36.8% to 30.9%), and ChromeVox (4.8% to 2.8%) all saw notable decreases in usage in that time.

Chart of screen reader usage showing a convergence of usage of JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, Window-Eyes, ZoomText, and System Access.

It is both exciting and challenging that there are 5 different screen readers that are nearing parity of common usage by over 25% of respondents. If these trends continue, it's quite possible that JAWS will no longer be the most commonly used screen reader in the near future.

53% of respondents use more than one desktop/laptop screen reader. This is down from 62% in January 2014. 25% use three or more, and 9% use four or more different screen readers. 66% of VoiceOver users commonly use additional screen readers - of note seeing as the other screen readers run almost exclusively on Windows. On the other hand, Window-Eyes (37%) and ZoomText (only 22%) users were much less likely to use additional screen readers. This disparity explains why ZoomText is used as a primary screen reader by 22.2% of respondents, but is commonly used less frequently than both NVDA and VoiceOver.

Operating System

Pie chart showing respondent operating systems

Operating System
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Windows	2140	85.3%
Apple	171	6.8%
iOS	134	5.3%
Android	33	1.3%
Linux	26	1.0%
Nokia	4	.2%

Operating system data above was detected from the system used to complete the survey. Windows usage is up slightly (82.8% to 85.3%) since January 2014, while Apple usage is down slightly (8.5% to 6.8%). iOS and Android usage both increased slightly. Of the iOS devices, 89 were using iPhones, 43 were using iPads, and 2 were using iPods. Respondents without disabilities were more likely to use Apple, Android, and iOS than those without disabilities who were more likely to use Windows. Those with beginner screen reader proficiency were much more likely to be using a mobile device than those with advanced proficiency.

Home vs. Work

Pie chart showing those who use a different screen reader at work than at home.

Do you use a different screen reader at work than at home?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
No	1229	75.3%
Yes	403	24.7%

86.5% of ZoomText users and 79.5% of JAWS users use the same screen reader at home and work compared to 57% of VoiceOver users.

Screen Reader Updates

Pie chart showing screen reader updates.

Has your primary screen reader been updated in the last year?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Yes	1998	82.1%
No	435	17.9%

The percentage of respondents updating in the previous year is largely unchanged from previous surveys. It's important to note that many users may still be using screen readers that are several years old.

Primary users of NVDA (96.1%), VoiceOver (91.7%), and Window-Eyes (91.6%) were most likely to have updated in the previous year - understandable because these updates generally are free. 80.1% of JAWS users and only 65.3% of ZoomText users have updated in the previous year.

How Obtained

Chart showing how screen readers were obtained

How did you obtain your primary screen reader?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
I bought it myself	952	39.0%
It was received through a government program	474	19.4%
I downloaded it free of charge from the Internet	425	17.4%
It was provided to me by my employer	330	13.5%
Other	176	7.2%
I'm using a pirated version of a commercial screen reader	34	1.4%
It was provided to me by my school	28	1.1%
I'm using a trial version of a commercial screen reader	22	0.9%

More respondents are purchasing their own screen readers now (39.0%) than in October 2009 (34.7%). 40.3% of those with disabilities purchased their own screen reader as compared to only 17% of those without disabilities.

Mobile Screen Readers

Mobile Screen Reader Usage

Chart showing mobile screen reader usage

Do you use a screen reader on a mobile phone, mobile handheld device, or tablet?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Yes	1683	69.2%
No	750	30.8%

The percentage of respondents using a mobile screen reader is down to 69.2% from 82% in January 2014. This decrease is almost at levels reported in December 2010.

Chart of mobile screen reader adoption over time.

This decrease is likely explained primarily by the broader dissemination of the survey to a more diverse and less technically proficient user base - particularly users with low vision. 83.7% of users with advanced screen reader proficiency use a mobile screen reader compared to just 41.2% of those with beginner proficiency. 80.2% of blind respondents use a mobile device compared to only 52.8% of low vision users. Those without disabilities were also much less likely to use a mobile screen reader and fewer respondents reported having disabilities than in previous years.

Mobile Platforms

Chart showing mobile platform usage

Which of the following is your primary mobile platform?
Mobile Platform	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Apple iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch	1443	69.6%
Android	430	20.8%
Nokia	79	3.8%
Other	120	5.8%

iOS usage has continued to increase. Android usage also increased though at a slower pace than previous years. Nokia usage is now quite rare. Windows Phone, Blackberry, Palm, and other platforms combined represent less than 6% of usage.

Chart of mobile platform usage.

iOS device usage among screen reader users is notably higher than for the standard population, whereas Android usage is much, much lower. Those with more advanced screen reader and internet proficiency were much more likely to use iOS over Android or Nokia. Those without disabilities were more than twice as likely to use Android as those with disabilities.

Mobile Screen Readers Used

Mobile Screen Readers Commonly Used

Which of the following mobile screen readers do you commonly use? (Choose all that apply)
Mobile Platform	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
VoiceOver	1426	56.7%
TalkBack for Android	448	17.8%
Nuance Talks	114	4.5%
Mobile Accessibility for Android	76	3.0%
Mobile Speak	54	2.1%
Other	62	9.1%

VoiceOver usage decreased from 60.5% in January 2014. 13% of respondents commonly use multiple mobile screen readers.

The following chart show mobile screen reader usage over time.

Chart of mobile screen reader usage.

Web Accessibility Progress

Chart showing web accessibility progress

Which of the following best describes your feelings regarding the accessibility of web content over the previous year?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Web content has become more accessible	928	38.7%
Web content accessibility has not changed	902	37.7%
Web content has become less accessible	565	23.6%

Responses to this question are very similar to previous years. Respondents without disabilities tend to be more positive about recent progress than those with disabilities.

Reasons for Inaccessibility

Chart showing reasons for inaccessibility

Which of the following do you think is the primary reason that many developers do not create accessible web sites?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Lack of awareness of web accessibility	1031	43.0%
Lack of web accessibility skills or knowledge	638	26.6%
Fear that accessibility will hinder the look, feel, or functionality	487	20.3%
Lack of budget or resources to make it accessible	242	10.1%

When compared to answers from previous surveys, respondents this year were more likely to indicate lack of awareness (43% compared to 38% in 2009) as the primary reason for inaccessibility.

Social Media Accessibility

Chart showing social media accessibility

In general, how accessible are social media web sites to you?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Very Accessible	289	12.7%
Somewhat Accessible	1080	47.6%
Somewhat Inaccessible	370	16.3%
Very Inaccessible	289	12.7%
I Don't Know	367	16.2%

Compared to responses from the May 2012 survey, respondents are a bit more positive about the accessibility of social media sites.

Landmarks/Regions

Chart showing usage of landmarks/regions

How often do you navigate by landmarks/regions in your screen reader?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Whenever they are present	515	22.1%
Often	385	16.5%
Sometimes	599	25.7%
Seldom	416	17.9%
Never	414	17.8%

Compared to previous surveys, the knowledge and use of landmarks has decreased slightly. 45.4% of JAWS users, 43.1% of NVDA users, 37.1% of Window-Eyes users, and 36.9% of VoiceOver users always or often use landmarks. However, only 28% of ZoomText users do the same - not unexpected seeing as ZoomText did not support landmark navigation until just a few weeks before this survey concluded. 44.2% of respondents with advanced screen reader proficiency always or often use landmarks compared to 29.4% of those with beginner screen reader proficiency.

Complex Images

Some images, such as charts, diagrams, or comic strips, are too complex to describe in only a few words. If a long, detailed description of these images is available, how would you prefer to have it presented to you?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
As optional text, available on the same page but only if I request it by following a link	1021	43.5%
As text on the web page, immediately following the image	605	25.8%
As a lengthy description (alt text) on the image itself	355	15.1%
On a separate page, available by following a link	161	6.9%
On a separate page, announced by and available to my screen reader	137	5.8%
Ignored entirely by my screen reader	68	2.9%

This is a follow-up to a question asked on the October 2009 survey. The most preferred method for long description is optional text available on request on the same page. Interestingly, this is probably the least common approach and the only one that is not natively supported by user agents using any standard, semantic markup available today. The option of placing the alternative on a separate page but having it announced by the screen reader, the most common current behavior of images with the longdesc attribute (and likely the aria-describedat attribute), was a very unpopular option, second only to being ignored entirely.

"Skip" Links

Pie chart showing skip link usage

When a "skip to main content" or "skip navigation" link is available on a page, how often do you use it?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Whenever they're available	428	18.3%
Often	457	19.5%
Sometimes	707	30.2%
Seldom	414	17.7%
Never	334	14.3%

When compared to previous surveys, there has been a very slight increase in the usage of "skip" links, though usage is very mixed.

Multiple Languages

Pie chart showing multiple language settings

Do you understand and have your screen reader set to read more than one language?
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Yes	619	25.6%
No	1803	74.4%

Not surprisingly, respondents from Asia (73.0%), South America (50.0%), Europe (49.3%), and Africa or Middle East (41.2%) were much more likely to have multi-lingual settings than those from North America (16.5%) or Australia (13.4%). NVDA (40.6%) and VoiceOver (36.4%) users were much more likely to have multi-lingual settings than JAWS (27.6%), Window-Eyes (18.3%), or ZoomText (15.3%) users.

Acrobat/PDF

Chart showing PDF file difficulty.

Acrobat/PDF files are...
Response	# of Respondents	% of Respondents
Very easy	312	12.8%
Somewhat easy	847	34.7%
Somewhat difficult	836	34.2%
Very difficult	320	13.1%
I Don't Know	128	5.2%

While we realize this is not a well worded question, we were interested to see changes since this question was asked on the December 2008 survey. There has not been a significant change in perception - either for better or worse - of PDF ease or difficulty in the last 6.5 years.