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1.2.4 Captions (Live) (AA)

Live videos with audio need to have captions.

What WCAG says:

Captions are provided for all live audio content in synchronized media.

Check the official guidance for Understanding 1.2.4 Captions (Live)

What this means

Live broadcast videos with audio must have captions.

Why it matters

Captions allow users to access all the information in a video even if they are deaf or have hearing loss.

How to check

Before the live broadcast, check that the broadcasting tool you’re using has live captioning available.

The captions should:

  • include what’s being said
  • include other sounds that are important to understand the meaning of the video, like sound effects
  • be synchronised with the audio
  • make it clear who is currently speaking and that a change in speakers is clearly identified – for example, displaying the speaker’s name, role or another consistent identifier when a different person begins speaking
  • pass the 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) criterion for colour contrast

The captions do not need to be exactly the same as the audio.

How to test in detail for 1.2.x Time-based Media (including 1.2.4 Captions (Live))

Common mistake

No captions on a live broadcast

A panel discussion is being livestreamed. There are no live captions on the live stream.

This would fail as it means users who are deaf or have hearing loss cannot access the information in the live stream.

It can be fixed by using a live captioning tool alongside the live stream.

Good example

Captions included on a live broadcast

A panel discussion is being livestreamed. There are live captions that explain what people are saying, when different people are speaking and when there’s applause from the audience.

This would pass as it means users who are deaf or have hearing loss can access all the information in the live stream.

This success criterion is closely related to 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (A). This explains the need for prerecorded videos to have captions.

It is also worth being aware of this AAA criterion that’s explained in official guidance: Understanding 1.2.9 Audio-only (Live), which covers providing text-based alternatives to live audio.

Last updated

This page was last updated in October 2026.