Level AWCAG 2.0

1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)

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

Last reviewed: September 9, 2026

Understanding 1.2.2

Captions provide a text equivalent of dialogue, speaker identification, and important non-speech sounds (like a phone ringing or a knock) synchronized with prerecorded video. They are the primary way that deaf and hard-of-hearing users, as well as people watching without sound, access the information in video content.

How to Meet It

Author closed captions as a timed text file (WebVTT or SRT) and associate it with the video using the HTML5 track element with kind="captions". Ensure captions include speaker labels and relevant sound effects, not just dialogue. Auto-generated captions (e.g., YouTube's automatic captions) are usually not accurate enough on their own and should be reviewed and corrected.

Code Examples

INCORRECT

<video src="training.mp4" controls></video>

CORRECT

<video src="training.mp4" controls>
  <track kind="captions" src="training-captions-en.vtt" srclang="en" label="English">
</video>

Frequently Asked Questions

Are auto-generated captions from YouTube or Zoom good enough?

Not by default. Automatic speech recognition frequently misses words, mispunctuates, and fails on accents, background noise, or technical jargon. You must review and correct machine-generated captions before they satisfy 1.2.2.

Does this apply to background music videos with no speech?

If there's no dialogue or meaningful non-speech audio, there's nothing to caption, but if the video has any spoken audio, captions are required.

Related Success Criteria

1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded)1.2.4 Captions (Live)1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)

Quick Facts

Criterion1.2.2
LevelA
IntroducedWCAG 2.0

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