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Re: Voice over focus v/s Keyboard focus

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From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Jan 8, 2018 5:25AM

The reason for this is because the screen reader focus (Voiceover in this case) and keyboard focus are not the same thing. If you were to use keys like tab or shift+tab that move the keyboard focus to the next or previous control in the tab order, the screen reader focus would follow it. The reverse is not typically true.

The reason for this is so someone using a screen reader can navigate and read all the user interface elements--not just those that can be reached by keyboard.

Most screen readers do include a feature that allows the user to move the keyboard focus to the screen reader focus. I expect it is not a feature used much by those who use screen readers. I know I have rarely had reason to use it.

That is also why screen reader testing and keyboard testing should normally be 2 different tests--screen reader focus can go places that keyboard focus can't. In fact, once in a while it is possible to use a screen reader to access and interact with a part of the user interface with which a keyboard cannot either interact or reach.

Thanks,
Tim