2020733 - [a11y] The info icon from the VPN panel is not read correctly by the screen reader

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(Firefox :: IP Protection, defect)

Description

[Raluca Ilban [:rilban], Premium Services - VPN]

Attachment: GetStartedNVDA.mp4

[Affected versions]:

• Firefox Nightly 150.0a1 (2026-03-02);
• Firefox Beta 149.0b3;

[Affected Platforms]:

• Windows 11;

[Prerequisites]:

• Be enrolled in the experiment.
• Have the NVDA ON

[Steps to reproduce]:

1. Using the keyboard, navigate until the VPN toolbar icon is in focus.
2. Press “Enter” to open the VPN panel.
3. Check how the element in focus (info icon) is read.

[Expected result]:

• “Open VPN support page button” is read by the screen reader.

[Actual result]:

• “Open VPN support page button 2 of 3” is read by the screen reader.

[Notes]:

• Regardless of the number of interactable elements in the panel, it always reads “2 of 3”.
• There are elements from the main window that are read before the element in focus is read (e.g. page title)
• The issue is reproducible in all VPN panels that display the “info” icon.
• See attached recording.

Comment 1

[Michael Hynson]

Attachment: Bug 2020733 - Update VPN header button for improved accessibility.

Comment 2

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The severity field for this bug is set to S4. However, the accessibility severity is higher, .
:mhynson, could you consider increasing the severity?

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 3

[Michael Hynson]

Updating severity per accessibility severity.

Comment 4

[Pulsebot]

Pushed by [e-mail]:
https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/1c1edbb64d39
https://hg.mozilla.org/integration/autoland/rev/658cc8e78318
Update VPN header button for improved accessibility. r=fluent-reviewers,ip-protection-reviewers,desktop-theme-reviewers,bolsson,kpatenio,dao

Comment 5

[amarc]

https://hg.mozilla.org/mozilla-central/rev/658cc8e78318

Comment 6

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The patch landed in nightly and beta is affected.
:mhynson, is this bug important enough to require an uplift?

• If yes, please nominate the patch for beta approval.
  • See https://wiki.mozilla.org/Release_Management/Requesting_an_Uplift for documentation on how to request an uplift.
• If no, please set status-firefox150 to wontfix.

For more information, please visit BugBot documentation.

Comment 7

[Michael Hynson]

Attachment: Bug 2020733 - Update VPN header button for improved accessibility.

Original Revision: https://phabricator.services.mozilla.com/D287443

Comment 8

[Phabricator Automation]

firefox-beta Uplift Approval Request

• User impact if declined/Reason for urgency: Improves screen reading for accessibility users
• Code covered by automated testing?: yes
• Fix verified in Nightly?: yes
• Needs manual QE testing?: yes
• Steps to reproduce for manual QE testing: 1. Using the keyboard, navigate until the VPN toolbar icon is in focus.

2. Press “Enter” to open the VPN panel.
3. Check how the element in focus (info icon) is read.

• Risk associated with taking this patch: low
• Explanation of risk level: Affects a small population of users. Verified in Nightly.
• String changes made/needed?: None
• Is Android affected?: no

Comment 9

[Pulsebot]

https://github.com/mozilla-firefox/firefox/commit/77818336303c
https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-beta/rev/8b480fd23c08

Comment 10

[Valentina Virlics [:vvalentina], VPN QA]

Verified this as fixed using Fireofx Nightly 151.0a1 on Windows 11.
The "info icon" is correctly read as "Open VPN support page button" by the screen reader and no longer mentions "2 of 3".

Comment 11

[Raluca Ilban [:rilban], Premium Services - VPN]

Verified this as fixed using Firefox Beta 150.0b2 on Windows 11.
The "info icon" is correctly read as "Open VPN support page button" by the screen reader and no longer mentions "2 of 3".