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1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (A)

Provide an audio description or transcript for meaningful visual content in videos.

What WCAG says:

An alternative for time-based media or audio description of the prerecorded video content is provided for synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labelled as such.

Check the official guidance for Understanding 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)

What this means

Any prerecorded videos with audio need to have an accurate audio equivalent or transcript for any meaningful visuals. This applies except when the video is a clearly-marked alternative to text already on the page.

Why it matters

Clear audio descriptions or transcripts help blind or visually impaired people to perceive visual information.

Transcripts are particularly important to help deafblind people access content.

How to check

In videos where both the audio and video are meaningful, look out for information that is only presented visually. Examples include:

  • any text displayed in the video, such as an introduction to a section or a speaker’s name
  • an animation describing a process
  • a close-up of a painting
  • someone’s facial expression which affects the meaning of what they are saying
  • clips illustrating the experience of a tourist destination

To pass this criterion, check that any meaningful visuals have an accurate audio description or a transcript.

However, to meet WCAG level AA, an audio description is needed to pass both this criterion and 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) (AA).

How to test in detail for 1.2.x Time-Based Media (including 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded))

Transcripts

A transcript must be accurate and include any visual information from the video that isn’t already described in speech. Automatically generated transcripts must be checked for accuracy and edited to include visual information where needed.

A transcript is not necessary when the media is clearly marked as an alternative to text already on the page.

Audio descriptions

As an audio description is necessary to pass level AA, read more about audio descriptions in 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) (AA).

Last updated

This page was last updated in October 2026.