Screen Reader User Survey #8 Results

The full results of WebAIM’s 8th Screen Reader User Survey are available at https://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey8/ This survey received 1224 responses, a decrease in responses compared to previous surveys. There were several interesting and surprising results:

• The end of an era! JAWS is no longer reported as the most commonly used screen reader. NVDA inched past JAWS. VoiceOver continues to see steady increases in usage.
• Windows Narrator was reported as being a primary screen reader by only 1% of respondents, though it is commonly used by 30% of respondents.
• Chrome was reported as the most commonly used browser among screen reader users. Its popularity increased almost 3 times since the previous survey nearly 2 years ago.
• Internet Explorer usage dropped, but was still reported at 14.5%.
• 99.3% of respondents had JavaScript enabled.
• The domination of iOS devices continued with 69% of respondents using them, however the usage dropped slightly due to a notable increase in Android usage.
• Landmark/region usage continues to steadily decline.
• Respondents are predominantly comfortable with allowing screen reader detection by web sites, especially if that detection results in a more accessible experience.
• The vast majority (75%) of respondents indicate that PDF documents are likely to pose significant accessibility issues. Respondents were much more favorable of Microsoft Word documents.

Much more is available in the full survey results article.