ARIA Live Region Test: Polite vs Assertive

This page contains five numbered regions, each with a different aria-live setting. The content of each region is updated in sequence, 1 through 4, with 10 seconds between updates. When a region's content is updated, the message will identify the aria-live setting for that region.

This is the default text in Region 1, which has no aria-live attribute.
This is the default text in Region 2, which has aria-live="off".
This is the default text in Region 3, which has aria-live="polite".
This is the default text in Region 4, which has aria-live="assertive".

Here is some additional text to read, to see if your reading is interrupted when any of the above live regions are updated.

80 days around the world, we'll find a pot of gold just sitting where the rainbow's ending. Time - we'll fight against the time, and we'll fly on the white wings of the wind. 80 days around the world, no we won't say a word before the ship is really back. Round, round, all around the world. Round, all around the world. Round, all around the world. Round, all around the world.

Hey there where ya goin', not exactly knowin', who says you have to call just one place home. He's goin' everywhere, B.J. McKay and his best friend Bear. He just keeps on movin', ladies keep improvin', every day is better than the last. New dreams and better scenes, and best of all I don't pay property tax. Rollin' down to Dallas, who's providin' my palace, off to New Orleans or who knows where. Places new and ladies, too, I'm B.J. McKay and this is my best friend Bear.

Barnaby The Bear's my name, never call me Jack or James, I will sing my way to fame, Barnaby the Bear's my name. Birds taught me to sing, when they took me to their king, first I had to fly, in the sky so high so high, so high so high so high, so - if you want to sing this way, think of what you'd like to say, add a tune and you will see, just how easy it can be. Treacle pudding, fish and chips, fizzy drinks and liquorice, flowers, rivers, sand and sea, snowflakes and the stars are free. La la la la la, la la la la la la la, la la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la la la la la, so - Barnaby The Bear's my name, never call me Jack or James, I will sing my way to fame, Barnaby the Bear's my name.

Thunder, thunder, thundercats, Ho! Thundercats are on the move, Thundercats are loose. Feel the magic, hear the roar, Thundercats are loose. Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats! Thundercats!

Ten years ago a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem and no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-team.

Audio Player

When audio is playing, how does that affect whether screen readers announce live region content? Let's find out...

Expectations

If aria-live is set to "polite", the screen reader should wait until the screen reader is finished the current object (e.g., a paragraph), then announce the update. If aria-live is set to "assertive", the screen reader should interrupt the user and announce the update immediately.

Observations

Screen Readers that support live aria-live somewhat correctly

Screen readers that are always assertive

Screen readers that are always polite

Screen readers that do not support live regions at all

Live regions and system audio

Audio other than screen reader output has no effect on screen reader behavior. They continue to function normally.