Understanding WCAG 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) for WordPress

This post is part of a series where we explain Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), an internationally recognized standard for measuring website accessibility. For more posts in this series, visit our Web Accessibility WCAG 2 Knowledge Base.

As we continue exploring the WCAG guidelines, another vital area of accessibility for WordPress websites is time-based media. So far, we’ve looked at accessibility for text and images, but what about media that’s just sound or just visuals? If you’re adding a podcast episode or a video without narration to your WordPress site, you’ll need to think about accessibility, too. WCAG 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) requires you to provide transcripts or descriptions, ensuring no one is left out of the experience.

In this article, we’ll break down what WCAG 1.2.1 means, why it’s important, common mistakes in WordPress, and how you can meet this success criterion using WordPress tools and best practices.

What is WCAG 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded)?

The Success Criterion 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) (Level A) states:

For prerecorded audio-only and prerecorded video-only media, the following are true, except when the audio or video is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such:

Prerecorded Audio-only
An alternative for time-based media is provided that presents equivalent information for prerecorded audio-only content.

Prerecorded Video-only
Either an alternative for time-based media or an audio track is provided that presents equivalent information for prerecorded video-only content.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2

In plain language: If you post prerecorded audio-only or video-only content, you must also provide an accessible alternative. For audio-only content, this means a written transcript. For video-only content, you need either a written description (transcript) or an audio track that explains what’s happening on screen.

This criterion requires that all prerecorded content that is audio-only or video-only have an accessible alternative.

Video-only: requires either a text transcript or an audio track that describes what is happening visually.

Audio-only: must include a full text transcript.

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Why does it matter for WordPress sites?

Imagine publishing a podcast episode on your WordPress site without a transcript, or embedding a silent video, such as a demo of your WordPress plugin, with no spoken audio. In both these cases, visitors who can’t hear or see the media would lose access to the content entirely.

WCAG 1.2.1 ensures that this doesn’t happen by requiring transcripts or audio descriptions, so people with hearing or visual disabilities can engage with your media just as easily as anyone else.

How to meet this Success Criterion in WordPress?

Audio-only (podcasts, recordings…)

For any audio-only content you publish on your WordPress site — such as podcasts or voice recordings — you need to provide a full text transcript. A good transcript should include:

• Every word that is spoken.
• Any meaningful sounds that add important context (like applause, background music, or laughter).

This ensures visitors with hearing disabilities can understand the full content, either by reading directly or through the use of screen readers.

Timestamps and chapter markers are not required, but may be helpful to your audience.

Synchronized transcripts that move when the audio is playing, or that allow users to jump back and forth through the audio by interacting with the transcript, may be helpful but are also not required to pass this success criterion.

How to implement transcripts in WordPress:

There are multiple options for including audio transcripts in WordPress websites. Here are some ideas for how you can do it:

• Add the transcript directly below the audio player in the post or page as visible content.
• Add the transcript in an accessible accordion that is collapsed by default to save space, but that can be expanded by users who need or want to read it.
• Add the transcript in an accessible modal that opens when users click a “transcript” button near the audio player.
• Create a separate page for the transcript and link to it clearly near the player.
• Use an accessible audio player with support for transcripts built in. Examples:
  • Able Player, a free WordPress plugin, has both audio-only and video players that can play media hosted on or off your WordPress site and supports synchronized transcripts.
  • Seriously Simple Transcripts is a free WordPress plugin that extends the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin by adding downloadable transcript links below the Seriously Simple podcast players once you upload a transcript. Transcript files can be any format you prefer, but make sure you’re uploading an accessible document.

Video-only (animations, silent clips…)

For videos without sound, you must provide an alternative that is equivalent to the original, so users who cannot see the visuals can still understand the message. There are two main approaches:

• Add an audio track that verbally describes what is happening in the video, or…
• Provide a written transcript that explains the visual actions in detail. This last option is the only way a deafblind person can access the information. So, providing a text transcript is a more accessible and preferred alternative.

Learn more about audio description and how to describe information for people who are blind in the meetup recording: Audio Description: If Your Eyes Could Speak with presenter Joel Snyder.

How to implement it in WordPress

Here are some ideas for how you can provide an accessible alternative for videos without audio in WordPress.

If you choose the recommended written transcript method:

• Include the transcript or written description directly below the embedded video as text on the page. Add a heading such as “Media Alternative,” making it clear what the section provides.
• Add the description in an accessible accordion that is collapsed by default to save space, but that can be expanded by users who need or want to read it.
• Add the description in an accessible modal that opens when users click a button near the audio player.
• Create a separate page for the transcript or description and link to it clearly near the player.

If you choose to create an audio description:

• Upload the described version of the video, and you can either link to it near the video player, or
• Place both videos on the same page with headings or a tabbed layout, differentiating them.
• Use the Able Player plugin to allow all users to switch between audio-described and non-audio described versions by uploading a descriptions tracks in .vtt format.

By including transcripts or descriptions with your audio-only and video-only media, you not only meet WCAG 1.2.1 but also improve SEO and usability for all visitors.

WCAG 1.2.1 Exceptions

There are a few situations where WCAG 1.2.1 does not apply:

• Live streams. If you’re streaming a live webinar or event through your WordPress site, this criterion doesn’t require a transcript or description. (That comes later in other success criteria.)
• Decorative media. Audio or video that’s just for decoration — like background sound effects or an abstract looping animation — doesn’t need an alternative, as long as it isn’t conveying important information.
• Purely sensory media. If the media exists only for its sensory value (like an audio test tone or a visual pattern meant only to be seen), a transcript or description isn’t necessary.

Testing 1.2.1 Compliance in WordPress

1. Identify audio-only and video-only media

1. Go through your WordPress site pages and posts and look for media players, embeds (YouTube, Vimeo, podcast players), or relevant uploaded files. To speed this up, use Accessibility Checker Pro to run a full-site scan and then go to the reports for “A Video is Present” and “Missing Transcript.”
2. Create a list of audio-only players (like podcasts).
3. Watch videos and create a list of videos that are video-only without spoken audio (like animations or demo/documentation videos).

2. Check for transcripts (audio-only)

• For every audio-only file, confirm there is a complete text transcript available.
• Make sure the transcript includes: all spoken words + meaningful sounds (e.g., applause, laughter, music cues).
• Verify the transcript is easy to find — ideally placed right below or linked next to the audio player.

3. Check for descriptions (video-only)

• For videos with no audio, check if there is:
  • A descriptive audio track, or
  • A written transcript explaining the important visuals.
• Confirm the alternative is accessible (screen readers can reach it, and it’s visible to sighted users).

4. Verify that alternatives are accessible in WordPress

• Inspect whether transcripts/descriptions are published as text, not as images or inaccessible PDFs.
• Check headings, links, and structure so screen readers can navigate the alternative easily.

5. Confirm exceptions

Skip live media, decorative clips, or sensory-only media — they are exempt from 1.2.1.

6. Test with assistive technology

• Use a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver) to navigate the page.
• Confirm that when the media plays, the transcript or description is available in a logical, accessible place. (Visual placement is not always the same for screen reader users, so it’s important not to skip this step.)

Start Making Your WordPress Site Accessible Today

WCAG 1.2.1 Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) ensures that media on your WordPress site is accessible. By adding transcripts for audio-only recordings and either transcripts or audio descriptions for video-only content, you make your material usable for people with hearing, visual, or cognitive disabilities.

Accessibility in media doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with simple steps like creating transcripts for podcasts or providing descriptive audio for short video clips. Build these practices into your publishing process so accessibility becomes a natural part of your workflow.

To simplify the process, consider using the Accessibility Checker plugin to quickly flag missing transcripts or find videos in your WordPress dashboard. Each improvement not only brings you closer to WCAG compliance but also creates a more inclusive, user-friendly experience for everyone who visits your site.