1.2 Time-based Media · Perceivable
WCAG 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)
Level A
Pre-recorded audio without video needs a text transcript; pre-recorded video without audio needs a transcript or audio description so the content is available to people who can't hear or see it.
Common failures
- Podcast episodes have no transcript.
- A silent product video relies on visuals alone with no described narration.
- Auto-generated captions are presented as a substitute without correction.
How to fix
- Provide a full text transcript next to every audio-only file.
- For video-only media, provide either a transcript or an audio-described version.
- Edit auto-captions for accuracy before publishing.