Accessibility essentials for prerecorded video

Businesses are using video content more than ever to engage with their customers. But, did you know there is far more to video accessibility than just adding captions?

The essentials that can’t be skipped

If you’re publishing video content, be sure to consider these accessibility requirements:

1. Captions for all spoken content. This includes dialogue, narration, and meaningful sound effects. Auto-generated captions on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo are a starting point, but they need human review for accuracy.
2. Transcripts that go beyond captions. A full-text transcript should describe important visual information that isn’t conveyed through audio. Think of it as the written version of what someone would need to know if they couldn’t see the video.
3. Avoid auto-playing videos. If your video plays automatically, it must be muted by default and provide a way to pause or stop playback.
4. Audio descriptions for visual-heavy content. If your video relies heavily on visual information to tell the story, provide narrated descriptions of what’s happening on screen during natural pauses in dialogue.
5. No flashing or strobing content. Your videos must not contain content that flashes more than 3 times per second. This prevents seizures and protects users with photosensitive epilepsy.

Video accessibility involves several considerations, but this list gives you a systematic approach to make your content accessible to everyone.