WCAG Guideline 1.2.2: Captions (Prerecorded) Explained
Estimated read time: 8–10 minutes
Guideline 1: Perceivable
The first principle of WCAG, Perceivable, ensures that information and user interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive. This means content can’t be invisible to all of a user’s senses—whether they are seeing, hearing, or feeling the content through assistive technology.
Guideline 1.2: Time-based Media
Guideline 1.2 focuses on making time-based media—like audio and video—accessible to everyone. This includes providing alternatives such as transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions so users with different abilities can access the content.
What Is Guideline 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)?
"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."
Guideline 1.2.2 is a Level A requirement in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) .
- All prerecorded video content with audio must have captions.
- Captions should accurately reflect spoken dialogue and important sounds.
- Captions help users who are deaf, hard of hearing, or in environments where audio can’t be played.
This ensures everyone can access the information in your videos, regardless of hearing ability or environment.
Why Does It Matter?
- Inclusivity: Captions make video content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Legal Compliance: This is a Level A requirement in WCAG 2.2 and referenced in accessibility laws worldwide.
- Usability: Captions help all users in noisy or quiet environments, or when audio is muted.
For more, see WebAIM's captions guide .
What Needs Captions?
- Prerecorded video content with audio (webinars, tutorials, interviews)
- Online courses and training videos
- Marketing and promotional videos
All such media must have accurate, synchronized captions.
How to Provide Captions
- Use captioning tools or services to create accurate captions
- Ensure captions are synchronized with the audio
- Include speaker identification and important non-speech sounds
- Make captions easy to enable and access
For more, see the W3C's captions docs .
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- No captions for video content
- Inaccurate or incomplete captions
- Captions that are out of sync with audio
- Hiding captions or making them hard to enable
Audit your site regularly and use accessibility checkers to ensure all video content has proper captions. For more, see the DCMP's comprehensive Guidelines and Best Practices for Captioning Educational Video , which covers quality, presentation, and accessibility standards for captions.
Differences Between A, AA, and AAA for Guideline 1.2.2 in WCAG 2.2
- Level A: Requires captions for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media. This is the core requirement for 1.2.2 and is mandatory for basic accessibility.
- Level AA: For Guideline 1.2.2, there are no additional requirements beyond Level A in WCAG 2.2. Meeting Level A for this guideline also satisfies Level AA.
- Level AAA: For Guideline 1.2.2, there are no additional requirements beyond Level A in WCAG 2.2. Meeting Level A for this guideline also satisfies Level AAA.
For more, see the W3C’s official documentation for 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) .
Quick Checklist
- All prerecorded video content with audio has captions
- Captions are accurate and complete
- Captions are synchronized with audio
- Captions include speaker identification and important sounds
- Captions are easy to enable and access
Summary
Guideline 1.2.2 is essential for making video content accessible to everyone. By providing accurate captions, you support users with disabilities, improve usability, and meet legal requirements. Make captioning a standard part of your video production process.