WCAG 1.2.4 Captions (Live)

What WCAG 1.2.4 Requires

Live video, such as a webinar or livestream, needs real-time captions, not just a caption track added after the fact.

How to Test It by Hand

Watch a live stream and confirm live captions are available, either from the platform or a human captioner.

Common Failures

• A live webinar has no captioning option turned on.
• Captions are promised but only added to the recording afterward.

Testing WCAG 1.2.4 With AccessBell

This criterion depends on meaning or context, so it needs a person to judge. AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail automatically, so it is not missed.

Run a free scan to spot issues on your own pages.

Related Criteria in Time-based Media

• 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded) (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level A, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AA, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)
• 1.2.9 Audio-only (Live) (Level AAA, WCAG 2.0)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does WCAG 1.2.4 require?

Live video, such as a webinar or livestream, needs real-time captions, not just a caption track added after the fact.

Can AccessBell test WCAG 1.2.4 automatically?

Not fully. This criterion needs a person to judge, so AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail on its own.

What level is WCAG 1.2.4?

Level AA, added in WCAG 2.0. Level AA is the level referenced by the ADA, Section 508 and most accessibility laws.

Sources

• W3C: Understanding 1.2.4 Captions (Live) (opens in a new tab)
• W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (opens in a new tab)

This page explains a technical standard and is not legal advice. See our disclaimer.