Home / Guides
WCAG audio description requirements explained
Three WCAG success criteria deal with audio description for prerecorded video. Level AA, the level most laws reference, requires audio description itself, not just a transcript.
The three criteria at a glance
| Criterion | Level | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) | A | Audio description or a full text alternative that describes both audio and visuals. |
| 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) | AA | Audio description for all prerecorded video in synchronized media. |
| 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) | AAA | Extended description that pauses the video when pauses are too short. |
What Level AA means in practice
To claim WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA, prerecorded videos that contain visual information not conveyed by the audio need an audio description track. A transcript alone satisfies Level A (1.2.3) but not Level AA (1.2.5).
When a video does not need description
If everything important on screen is already spoken, for example a talking head who reads out every slide, no additional description is needed. W3C media guidance calls this "integrated description." It is good practice to document that judgment for each video.
WCAG 2.1 vs 2.2
WCAG 2.2 did not change the audio description criteria. The requirements in 1.2.3, 1.2.5 and 1.2.7 are the same in 2.1 and 2.2.
How to meet 1.2.5
- Identify visual information not covered by the soundtrack.
- Write concise, objective descriptions for the available pauses.
- Publish them as a described version of the video or as a selectable description track.
- If the pauses are too short, use extended description, which also meets 1.2.7.
Sources
W3C, Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.5; W3C, Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.7.