Goal
Ensure people who are blind or have low vision can fully access video content through audio descriptions.
Success Criterion · WCAG 1.2.5
Audio Description (Prerecorded)
Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
Level AAWCAG 2.0Perceivable1.2 · Time-based Media
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What to do
Provide audio descriptions for all prerecorded video content with synchronized audio.
Why it matters
Audio descriptions narrate essential visual information, making video content fully accessible to blind users.
Success criterion
What WCAG 1.2.5 requires
Summarized directly from the official Understanding document so teams can quote the requirement accurately.
Audio description is provided for all prerecorded video content in synchronized media.
Intent
Why WCAG created this requirement
- Audio descriptions provide a verbal narration of visual information not conveyed through the existing audio track.
- Descriptions are inserted during natural pauses in dialogue to avoid overlapping with important speech or sounds.
- This Level AA criterion requires audio descriptions specifically—a text alternative alone does not satisfy it.
- Audio descriptions enable blind and low vision users to experience video content more equivalently to sighted users.
Benefits
Who gains when you pass
- People who are blind can understand visual actions, settings, and expressions through audio narration.
- People with low vision can supplement their partial vision with detailed audio descriptions.
- People who have difficulty interpreting visual information benefit from explicit verbal explanations.
- Audio descriptions can be consumed while multitasking, benefiting users who cannot look at the screen.
- Descriptions enhance comprehension for users with cognitive disabilities who may miss visual context.
Why it matters
User impact when this criterion fails
Summaries drawn from the Understanding document help you socialize impact statements with product stakeholders.
Without audio descriptions, blind users miss all visual storytelling: character actions, facial expressions, scene transitions, and on-screen text.
Educational and instructional videos become ineffective when visual demonstrations are not described.
Entertainment value is significantly reduced when visual humor, drama, or tension cannot be perceived.
Critical information conveyed only visually (graphs, diagrams, demonstrations) remains inaccessible.
Overview
All prerecorded videos with synchronized audio must include audio descriptions—a separate audio track that narrates important visual information during natural pauses in dialogue. Unlike criterion 1.2.3 (Level A) which allows either audio descriptions OR a text alternative, this Level AA criterion specifically requires audio descriptions. Audio descriptions verbally convey visual elements like actions, scene changes, on-screen text, facial expressions, and settings that are essential to understanding the content.
- Audio descriptions should be inserted during natural pauses in dialogue—timing is critical.
- Describe what is essential to understanding: actions, scene changes, characters, settings, on-screen text, and expressions.
- Use clear, concise language that fits within available pauses without feeling rushed.
- Professional audio description voice talent should have good diction and pacing.
- Provide a way for users to toggle audio descriptions on/off (separate audio track or mixed version).
Reference: All summaries and highlights originate from Understanding WCAG 1.2.5 and the W3C quick reference.
Fast facts
- Conformance level
- Level AA
- WCAG version introduced
- WCAG 2.0
- Principle
- Perceivable
- Guideline
- 1.2 · Time-based Media
Examples
Make success tangible for teams
Share pass/fail snapshots to coach designers, engineers, QA, and content authors.
Training video
Pass
An audio description track narrates: "The instructor points to the circuit board. A close-up shows the red wire connecting to terminal A, the blue wire to terminal B."
Fail
A training video shows hands-on demonstrations while the instructor only says "connect this here" without audio describing what "this" and "here" are.
Product demo
Pass
Audio description: "The dashboard displays four widgets: a line graph showing sales trends, a pie chart of market share, a notification panel, and a calendar."
Fail
A product demo shows complex UI screens while narration says "as you can see, there's a lot of useful information here" without describing what is shown.
Corporate video
Pass
During a pause in the CEO's speech: "B-roll footage shows employees collaborating in an open office space. Text overlay reads: Innovation starts here."
Fail
B-roll footage plays with inspirational music but no description of what the footage shows or any on-screen text.
Educational content
Pass
Audio description during diagram display: "A flowchart shows the water cycle: evaporation rises from the ocean, forms clouds, precipitation falls as rain, and water flows back to the ocean."
Fail
An educational video references "this diagram" and "these arrows" without ever describing what the diagram contains.
Evidence to keep
Document conformance decisions
Capture artifacts for VPATs, procurement reviews, and regression testing.
- Maintain a video inventory tracking audio description status for all media assets.
- Store audio description scripts alongside video files.
- Document the audio description workflow: scripting, recording, integration.
- Establish style guidelines for audio descriptions: voice, pacing, terminology.
- Record evidence of audio description availability (screenshots, user flows).
- Track user feedback on description quality and coverage.
Official resources
Deep dives and supporting material
Keep these links handy when writing acceptance criteria or responding to audits.
Understanding 1.2.5
Official W3C interpretation, techniques, and intent for Audio Description (Prerecorded).
Quick Reference 1.2.5
Filterable list of sufficient techniques and failures.
Technique G78
Providing a second, user-selectable audio track that includes audio descriptions.
Technique G173
Providing a version of a movie with audio descriptions.
Technique G8
Providing a movie with extended audio descriptions.
Audio Description Coalition
Resources and standards for audio description best practices.
Described and Captioned Media Program
Comprehensive guide to creating quality audio descriptions.
Implementation checklist
Capture progress and blockers
- Identify all prerecorded video content with synchronized audio.
- Analyze each video to identify visual information not conveyed through existing audio.
- Write an audio description script covering: actions, scene changes, settings, character appearances, on-screen text, and essential expressions.
- Time descriptions to fit within natural pauses in dialogue without overlapping speech.
- Record audio descriptions with professional voice talent or trained describers.
- Create a separate audio track or mixed version that includes descriptions.
- Provide a mechanism for users to enable/disable audio descriptions.
- Test the described version with blind users to ensure adequate coverage.
Testing ideas
Prove conformance with evidence
- Identify all prerecorded synchronized media on the site.
- Verify an audio-described version is available for each video.
- Watch the video with audio descriptions enabled.
- Check that visual information essential to understanding is described.
- Verify descriptions do not overlap with important dialogue or sounds.
- Ensure descriptions are clear, concise, and well-timed.
- Test the mechanism to enable/disable audio descriptions.
- Compare visual content against descriptions to identify any gaps.
Related success criteria
More from Time-based Media (1.2)
WCAG 1.2.1Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)Level AWCAG 1.2.2Captions (Prerecorded)Level AWCAG 1.2.3Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)Level AWCAG 1.2.4Captions (Live)Level AAWCAG 1.2.6Sign Language (Prerecorded)Level AAAWCAG 1.2.7Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded)Level AAAWCAG 1.2.8Media Alternative (Prerecorded)Level AAAWCAG 1.2.9Audio-only (Live)Level AAA