WCAG 1.2.4 Captions (Live): What It Means and How to Test It

Anton StewartAuthor Reviewed September 28, 2026 against the W3C Understanding document

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.

Can AccessBell Test This Automatically?

Not fully. Like most WCAG criteria that depend on meaning or context, this one needs a person to judge. AccessBell's report lists it for manual review rather than marking it pass or fail automatically, so it never gets missed.

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.

WCAG 1.2.4 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 required to meet WCAG AA, the level referenced by the ADA, Section 508 and most accessibility laws.

Sources

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

1.2.4 Captions (Live)