WCAG 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded): What It Means and How to Test It

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

What WCAG 1.2.5 Requires

Prerecorded video needs full audio description, narrating important visual details during natural pauses in the dialogue, not just a text alternative.

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

Play the audio-described version and confirm a narrator describes on-screen actions, text and scene changes during quiet moments.

Common Failures

Only a transcript is offered where AA requires an actual audio-described track.
The described track exists but skips key visual information, such as on-screen data or charts.

WCAG 1.2.5 Questions

What does WCAG 1.2.5 require?

Prerecorded video needs full audio description, narrating important visual details during natural pauses in the dialogue, not just a text alternative.

Can AccessBell test WCAG 1.2.5 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 1.2.5?

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.

1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded)