Skip to main content
Home
Back to Guidelines
  • Perceivable
  • WCAG 1.2.4
  • Level AA

What is Captions (Live)?

Live media should include captions that stay synchronized with the spoken content and important sounds.

Real-time captions help users follow along as the event happens.

  • Deaf and hard of hearing users.
  • People in noisy or silent environments.
  • Users who benefit from reading while listening.
  • Improves Accessibility
  • Real-Time Access
  • Better User Experience
  • Supports Compliance

Good vs Bad Examples

Use the tabs to compare live captioning with delayed or inaccurate captions.

Live captions provided

Example of closed captions for a live news broadcast where the text shows the name of the person speaking, notes his laughing sounds and includes all the dialogue.
html live code 
<Image src="/assets/images/principals/1.2.4-captions.png" width={400} height={400} alt="Example of closed captions for a live news broadcast where the text shows the name of the person speaking, notes his laughing sounds and includes all the dialogue." />
Why this is correct:
  • Captions update as the live speech happens.
  • Important sounds are represented in text.
  • Supports WCAG 1.2.4.

Implementation Checklist

Progress0 / 6 completed (0%)

Knowledge Check

Answer Yes or No to test your understanding of live captions.

Score: 0 / 5 · Answered: 0 / 5

Should live video include synchronized captions?

Can live captions lag far behind the speech?

Should live captions include important sounds too?

Are live captions important for deaf and hard of hearing users?

Does WCAG 1.2.4 address live captions?