Provide captions for video content
Approximately 15% of adults have some degree of hearing loss. Captions are essential for deaf and hard-of-hearing users who cannot access audio content. They also benefit users in sound-sensitive environments (libraries, open offices), users watching without headphones in public, non-native speakers, and users with auditory processing disorders. WCAG SC 1.2.2 is a Level AA requirement — its absence is a legal compliance failure under the ADA, EN 301 549, and similar regulations worldwide.
Quick Reference
- Prerecorded video with audio: synchronized captions required — WCAG 2.1 SC 1.2.2 (Level AA)
- Live video with audio: real-time captions required — WCAG 2.1 SC 1.2.4 (Level AA)
- Use
<track kind='captions'>with a.vtt(WebVTT) file for HTML5<video>elements - Captions must include all spoken dialogue, speaker identification, and relevant non-speech audio (music, sound effects)
- Subtitles and captions are different: captions include non-speech audio; subtitles translate dialogue only
Check
Find all <video> elements and video embeds (<iframe> from YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). For each <video> with audio: check for a <track> …
