Provide Audio Description or a Text Alternative for Prerecorded Video
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Accessibility isn't just about avoiding violations — it's about ensuring that everyone can use your product with confidence. This guide explains each rule's intent, highlights common issues, and shows how to fix them according to WCAG and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
These guidelines do not replace the official WCAG standards. They’re concise, developer-focused notes to help you identify and fix issues effectively.
If the video shows something important that isn't spoken aloud, provide audio description or a full text alternative.
Overview
Why this matters
Captions cover audio, but they do not describe visual-only meaning. If key information appears only on screen, blind and low-vision users miss content unless you provide audio description or a full media alternative.
How to fix this issue
Provide either: (1) an audio-described version/track narrating important visuals, or (2) a complete text alternative with equivalent visual meaning. Cover on-screen text, state changes, and critical actions.
Developer Guidance
During content review, flag visual-only meaning (chart transitions, highlighted UI regions, text overlays). If users cannot infer outcomes from audio alone, add description coverage and publish access next to the player.
Code Examples
Incorrect Implementation
<video src="assembly-instructions.mp4" controls></video>
<!-- The video shows step-by-step actions but has no narration or description -->Correct Implementation
<video src="assembly-instructions.mp4" controls>
<track src="assembly-descriptions.vtt" kind="descriptions" srclang="en" label="Audio Description" />
</video>Real-World Implementation
Before
<video src="quarterly-dashboard-walkthrough.mp4" controls></video>
<!-- Presenter says 'as you can see here' while pointing to unlabeled chart changes -->After
<video src="quarterly-dashboard-walkthrough.mp4" controls>
<track src="quarterly-dashboard-walkthrough.desc.vtt" kind="descriptions" srclang="en" label="Audio Description" />
</video>
<p><a class="video-description-link" href="quarterly-dashboard-walkthrough-description.html">Read full video description</a></p>CSS Example (Guidance)
/* Optional: provide high visibility for description links */
.video-description-link {
font-weight: 500;
text-decoration: underline;
color: #1e40b0;
}
.video-description-link:hover {
color: #1d4ed8;
}Manual Testing
- 1. Identify videos where important meaning appears visually but is not spoken.
- 2. Verify an audio description track or full text alternative exists for each.
- 3. Confirm descriptions include on-screen text, state changes, and key actions.
- 4. Test discoverability: users should find description controls/links near the player.
- 5. Validate equivalence by checking that a user can understand outcomes without seeing the video.
- 6. Re-check after editing/re-cutting the video because visual timing may change.
Related Perceivable Rules
Trusted by organizations across Europe working toward WCAG and EAA conformance