Make videos accessible with captions

Videos without captions exclude deaf and hard-of-hearing users, while videos without audio descriptions exclude blind users from understanding visual content.

Quick Reference

• Always provide accurate closed captions (not auto-generated)
• Include audio descriptions for visual content
• Provide text transcripts as an alternative
• Never autoplay videos with sound

Check

Verify videos have accurate closed captions (not auto-generated), audio descriptions for visual content, transcripts, keyboard-accessible pause controls, and no autoplay. Confirm spacebar pauses video without scrolling the page.

Fix

Add track elements for captions and audio descriptions, provide text transcripts, implement global pause controls, disable autoplay, and ensure media controls are keyboard accessible with proper focus management.

Explain

Explain how captions help deaf and hard-of-hearing users, audio descriptions help blind users understand visual content, and pause controls help users with cognitive disabilities who find autoplay disorienting.

Code Review

Review templates, server-rendered HTML, and shared components that output markup related to Make videos accessible with captions. Flag exact elements, attributes, and routes where the rendered HTML violates the rule.

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For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance, see references/rule.md.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/en/rules/html/video-accessibility