Level ASince WCAG 2.0
1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)
Guideline 1.2: Time-based Media – Audio and video need captions, descriptions or transcripts.
What does the rule require?
An audio-only recording has a transcript. A video without sound has a text description or an audio track that explains what can be seen.
How to get it right
Put the full transcript below every podcast episode. For a silent explainer video, describe the steps as text next to it.
Who benefits most?
- Deaf people
- Blind people
Official wording
This page explains the rule in simple words. Only the original W3C text is normative.
- “Understanding Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)” at W3C (external site)
- Techniques in the WCAG Quick Reference (external site)