1.2.4 Captions (Live) (Level AA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.4 Captions (Live) (Level AA): what it requires, a common e-commerce accessibility failure, and how to fix it.
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
WCAG 2.1 guidelines hub → Perceivable → 1.2.4 Captions (Live)
1.2.4 Captions (Live) (Level AA)
What it requires: Live audio content in synchronized media (a live-streamed product launch or webinar) needs live captions.
Common failure: A brand streams a live “shop with us” event on social video with no live captioning available.
Fix it: Use a live-captioning service or platform feature (most major streaming and webinar tools support this natively) for any live video with audio.
In 1.2 Time-based Media: ← 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) · 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) →
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This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a person for accuracy before publication.