1.4.2 Audio Control

What this criterion requires

If audio plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, users must be able to pause, stop it, or control its volume independently of the system volume.

Who it helps

Screen reader users, whose own speech output is drowned out by page audio.

Example: fails vs passes

<audio src="theme.mp3" autoplay loop></audio>

<!-- no autoplay at all; user starts playback -->
    <audio src="theme.mp3" controls></audio>

Auto-playing sound drowns out screen reader speech. Not autoplaying is the simplest sufficient technique.

How to meet and fix it

• Do not autoplay sound at all - the simplest sufficient technique
• If you must, put a pause/stop control at the top of the page

Common failures auditors find

• Autoplaying background music or videos with sound and no stop control

Automated scanning catches a share of these instantly - run a free check - and a manual audit covers the judgement calls a tool cannot make.

Last updated 12 August 2026. Reviewed by the EqualWeb accessibility team.