How to Make Your Website Screen Reader Friendly (Without Being a Developer)

If you have ever wondered whether your website works for people who use screen readers, you are not alone. Screen readers are assistive technology that reads web content aloud or converts it to braille, helping millions of people with visual impairments navigate the internet. Making your site screen reader friendly is not just the right thing to do — it is increasingly a legal requirement under laws like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The good news? You do not need to be a developer to understand what screen readers need or to fix many common problems. This guide walks you through the essentials.

What Is a Screen Reader and Who Uses One?

A screen reader is software that interprets what is on a computer screen and presents it as speech or braille output. Popular screen readers include JAWS, NVDA (free for Windows), VoiceOver (built into Apple devices), and TalkBack (built into Android).

People use screen readers for many reasons:

  • Blindness or severe low vision — the most common reason
  • Cognitive disabilities — some users prefer having content read aloud
  • Temporary impairments — eye injuries, post-surgery recovery
  • Situational limitations — driving, cooking, or multitasking

According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people globally have some form of vision impairment. While not all of them use screen readers, the number of screen reader users continues to grow as technology becomes more accessible and affordable.

How Screen Readers “See” Your Website

Screen readers do not see your website the way a sighted visitor does. They cannot interpret colors, layouts, or visual spacing. Instead, they read the underlying code — the HTML structure — of your page.

Think of it this way: a sighted user scans a page visually and instantly understands that the large bold text at the top is a heading, the blue underlined text is a link, and the grid of boxes with prices is a product listing. A screen reader user gets that same information only if the code behind those elements is written correctly.

Here is what screen readers rely on:

  1. Heading structure — Screen readers let users jump between headings to scan a page, similar to skimming a table of contents
  2. Link text — The text inside a link tells users where they will go
  3. Image descriptions — Alt text provides the meaning of images
  4. Form labels — Labels tell users what information each field expects
  5. Page landmarks — Navigation regions, main content areas, and footers help users orient themselves
  6. Reading order — Content should follow a logical sequence in the code, even if it looks different visually

The 7 Most Common Screen Reader Problems (and How to Fix Them)

1. Images Without Alt Text

This is the single most common accessibility failure on the web. When an image has no alt text, a screen reader might announce the file name (“IMG underscore 4827 dot jpg”) or skip it entirely.

The fix: Every meaningful image needs a short description of what it shows. If the image is purely decorative (like a divider line or background pattern), it should be marked as decorative so screen readers skip it.

If you use WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace, there is an alt text field in the image settings panel. Fill it in every time you upload an image.

Good alt text examples:

  • A team photo: “Five team members standing in the office lobby, smiling”
  • A chart: “Bar chart showing website traffic increased 40% from January to June”
  • A product image: “Red leather wallet, open to show six card slots and a bill compartment”

2. Missing or Broken Heading Structure

Screen reader users navigate pages by jumping between headings. If your page skips heading levels (going from H1 to H4, for example) or uses bold text instead of actual headings, this navigation breaks completely.

The fix: Use one H1 for the page title, then H2 for major sections, H3 for subsections, and so on. Never skip levels. In most content management systems, you can set heading levels in the text editor toolbar — use those instead of just making text big and bold.

When a screen reader user pulls up a list of all links on a page (a common navigation technique), links like “click here,” “read more,” or “learn more” tell them nothing about the destination.

The fix: Make link text descriptive on its own. Instead of “Click here to view our pricing,” write “View our pricing plans.” Instead of “Read more,” write “Read our full accessibility policy.”

4. Forms Without Labels

If a form field does not have a properly connected label, a screen reader user has no idea what information the field expects. They hear “edit text” instead of “Email address, edit text.”

The fix: Every form field needs a visible label that is programmatically associated with the field. Most website builders handle this automatically when you use their built-in form components — problems usually arise with custom-coded forms or third-party form plugins.

5. Auto-Playing Media

Audio or video that starts playing automatically is more than annoying for screen reader users — it makes the site completely unusable. The auto-playing audio talks over the screen reader, and the user cannot hear their assistive technology to find and stop the playback.

The fix: Never auto-play audio or video. If you must auto-play video (for a background hero, for example), make sure it is muted by default and has clearly labeled play/pause controls.

6. Poor Color Contrast

While screen reader users who are completely blind are not affected by color contrast, many screen reader users have low vision and use screen readers as a supplement, not a replacement, for their remaining sight. Poor contrast makes text unreadable for these users.

The fix: Ensure a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Free tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker let you test any color combination in seconds.

7. Missing Page Title and Language

The page title is the first thing a screen reader announces when a page loads. A missing or generic title (“Untitled” or “Home”) leaves users uncertain about where they are. Similarly, if the page language is not declared in the code, the screen reader may try to read English content with a French pronunciation engine, or vice versa.

The fix: Give every page a unique, descriptive title. If you use a CMS, check that your theme or template includes proper page titles (most do by default). The language setting is typically in your site’s global settings.

How to Test Your Site With a Screen Reader

You do not need to become an expert screen reader user to do basic testing. Here is a simple approach:

Quick Test With VoiceOver (Mac)

  1. Open Safari on your Mac
  2. Press Command + F5 to turn on VoiceOver
  3. Use the Tab key to move between interactive elements
  4. Use Control + Option + Right Arrow to read through content
  5. Listen for: Can you understand what is on the page? Are images described? Do links make sense?
  6. Press Command + F5 again to turn it off

Quick Test With NVDA (Windows)

  1. Download NVDA for free from nvaccess.org
  2. Open your website in Firefox or Chrome
  3. Press Insert + Down Arrow to start reading
  4. Use the Tab key to jump between interactive elements
  5. Press H to jump between headings
  6. Listen for the same issues described above

What to Listen For

  • Do images have meaningful descriptions, or do you hear file names and “image” with no context?
  • Can you navigate by headings to find content sections?
  • Do links make sense when read out of context?
  • Do form fields announce their purpose?
  • Can you complete important tasks (checkout, signup, contact) without seeing the screen?

The Business Case for Screen Reader Accessibility

Beyond the ethical imperative, there are strong business reasons to make your site screen reader friendly:

Legal compliance. The European Accessibility Act takes effect June 28, 2025, requiring digital products and services to be accessible. In the United States, ADA lawsuits over website accessibility have exceeded 4,000 per year. Making your site screen reader accessible significantly reduces legal risk.

Market reach. The disability community represents over 1 billion people globally with a combined spending power of more than $8 trillion. An inaccessible website turns away potential customers.

SEO benefits. Many screen reader accessibility improvements — proper headings, descriptive alt text, clear link text, semantic structure — are exactly what search engines need to understand and rank your content. Sites that are accessible to screen readers tend to perform better in search results.

Better experience for everyone. Proper heading structure helps all users scan content. Descriptive link text helps everyone understand where links go. Clear form labels reduce errors for all users. Accessibility improvements raise the quality of the experience for your entire audience.

Your Next Steps

Start with the seven fixes listed above. They address the vast majority of screen reader barriers and can be implemented without writing a single line of code if you use a modern CMS.

For a more thorough check, run your site through a free automated scanner like the WAVE browser extension or Google Lighthouse. These tools catch many (though not all) screen reader accessibility issues and give you specific, actionable recommendations.

Remember: screen reader accessibility is not a one-time project. Every time you add content, upload images, create forms, or restructure your site, apply these principles. Build the habit, and accessibility becomes second nature.

We’re building a simple accessibility checker for non-developers — no DevTools, no jargon. Join our waitlist to get early access.