WCAG A/AA requirement Priority: Serious
Videos have no captions
A video on the page, for example a product demo, a brand video or a how-to clip, has no captions track.
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Why it matters to your customers
Deaf and hard of hearing customers cannot follow what is said in the video, such as how a product works, sizing tips or care instructions. Many other shoppers also watch without sound, for example on their phone in public.
Who is affected
- deaf customers
- hard of hearing customers
- people watching without sound
How to fix it
Add captions to every video with speech or meaningful sound: a <track kind="captions" src="captions.vtt" srclang="en"> element for videos hosted on your own site, or captions uploaded to the player for embedded videos. Check that auto-generated captions are correct. A silent or purely decorative video does not need captions; an automatic check cannot tell the difference, so review each flagged video.
On Shopify
Usually product media videos or a video section in the theme. Check whether your theme or video app lets you add a caption file; otherwise add a <track> element in the section's Liquid file, or use an embedded player where captions are uploaded.
On Shoptet (CZ)
Videos are usually embedded from a video platform. If a video file is placed directly in a page or banner, add a captions track in that code or switch to an embedded player with captions; ask Shoptet or a partner for template changes.
On PrestaShop
Usually videos in the home page slider, product tabs or a video module. Add a <track> element in the module's .tpl template, or use a video module or player that supports captions.
On WooCommerce
Usually videos added with the WordPress video block, a page builder widget or a product gallery plugin. The WordPress video block lets you add text tracks (.vtt files); for page builders and plugins, check the widget settings or switch to a player that supports captions.
Standards
| Standard | Clause |
|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 | 1.2.2 (A) Captions (Prerecorded) |
| WCAG 2.1 | 1.2.2 (A) Captions (Prerecorded) |
| WCAG 2.0 | 1.2.2 (A) Captions (Prerecorded) |
| EN 301 549 4.1.1 | 9.1.2.2 |
| EN 301 549 3.2.1 | 9.1.2.2 |
| Section 508 2017 | E205.4 |
| ДСТУ EN 301 549 2022 | 9.1.2.2 |
Automated check: axe-core rule video-caption.
dequeuniversity.com, github.com, www.w3.org
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