Captions (Prerecorded)
Tier 1 · The normative floor
Baseline compliance
What the normative text of WCAG 2.2 requires, and nothing more. Only a failure of this tier is a WCAG failure.
The bare minimum
Prerecorded audio in synchronized media (video with sound) has captions. By definition, captions cover both speech and the non-speech audio needed to understand the content. Media that is a clearly labeled alternative for text is exempt.
Normative text
Verbatim from WCAG 2.2, W3C Recommendation 12 December 2024. Underlined terms are defined below.
Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such.
Known failures
These fail this criterion or a related one named in the text. Log them as WCAG failures.
- Auto-generated captions that leave out speech or sounds needed to understand the media don't meet WCAG's definition of captions.
Not required by the normative text
Common claims that this criterion does not support. Don't log these as WCAG failures.
- Closed (user-toggleable) captions specifically. Open captions burned into the video meet the definition.
- A particular caption style, font or position.
- A numeric accuracy threshold. The definition asks for the information needed to understand the media.
Definitions used (5)
Glossary definitions are normative. Their notes are informative.
- captions
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synchronized visual and/or text alternative for both speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the media content
Informative notes (6)
Captions are similar to dialogue-only subtitles except captions convey not only the content of spoken dialogue, but also equivalents for non-dialogue audio information needed to understand the program content, including sound effects, music, laughter, speaker identification and location.
Closed Captions are equivalents that can be turned on and off with some players.
Open Captions are any captions that cannot be turned off. For example, if the captions are visual equivalent images of text embedded in video.
Captions should not obscure or obstruct relevant information in the video.
In some countries, captions are called subtitles.
Audio descriptions can be, but do not need to be, captioned since they are descriptions of information that is already presented visually.
- prerecorded
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information that is not live
- audio
-
the technology of sound reproduction
Informative notes (1)
Audio can be created synthetically (including speech synthesis), recorded from real world sounds, or both.
- synchronized media
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audio or video synchronized with another format for presenting information and/or with time-based interactive components, unless the media is a media alternative for text that is clearly labeled as such
- media alternative for text
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media that presents no more information than is already presented in text (directly or via text alternatives)
Informative notes (1)
A media alternative for text is provided for those who benefit from alternate representations of text. Media alternatives for text may be audio-only, video-only (including sign-language video), or audio-video.
Tier 2 · The gap
Usability & user impact
Where content can meet this criterion and still make things harder for people with disabilities. These are not failures of SC 1.2.2, so raise them as usability defects. Known failures, including failures of related criteria, are listed in Tier 1.
Complete captions can still be hard to follow when they are split mid-phrase, cover on-screen text, or can't be resized.
Tier 3 · The golden path
Recommended best practice
The pattern that meets the floor, closes the gap, and avoids audit disputes. A recommendation, not a requirement.
Use human-edited captions that identify speakers and meaningful sounds. Deliver them as closed captions through the player so users can resize and restyle them.
W3C's Understanding document and techniques for SC 1.2.2 ↗ are informative: sufficient techniques show ways to pass, and documented failures show common ways to fail, but neither changes what the criterion requires.
How SC 1.2.2 maps to the WCAG 3 draft
From this site's reviewed map to the WCAG 3 editor's draft. It's an interpretation: W3C has not published a mapping.
Successor provisions
Related, not a successor
From WCAG 2.2, section 5.1: “The main content of WCAG 2.2 is normative and defines requirements that impact conformance claims. Introductory material, appendices, sections marked as "non-normative", diagrams, examples, and notes are informative (non-normative). Non-normative material provides advisory information to help interpret the guidelines but does not create requirements that impact a conformance claim.”