What this criterion requires
All prerecorded video with sound must have synchronized captions that include dialogue and meaningful sound effects, and identify who is speaking.
Who it helps
People who are deaf or hard of hearing, plus everyone watching in a sound-off environment.
Example: fails vs passes
<video src="demo.mp4" controls></video><video src="demo.mp4" controls>
<track kind="captions" src="demo.en.vtt" srclang="en" label="English">
</video>A captions track carries dialogue, speaker changes and meaningful sounds. Fix auto-generated captions before publishing.
How to meet and fix it
- Provide closed captions (a captions track), not burned-in subtitles alone
- Include speaker identification and significant sounds ("[door slams]")
- Correct auto-generated captions before publishing - raw ASR output usually fails this criterion
Common failures auditors find
- Videos published with no captions
- Uncorrected auto-captions with wrong words or missing speaker changes
Automated scanning catches a share of these instantly - run a free check - and a manual audit covers the judgement calls a tool cannot make.
‹ 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) ›
Sources
- W3C, Understanding 1.2.2: Captions (Prerecorded) - w3.org/WAI
- W3C, How to Meet 1.2.2 (quick reference) - w3.org/WAI/quickref
Last updated . Reviewed by the EqualWeb accessibility team.
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