1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AAA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AAA): 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 → 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded)
1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) (Level AAA)
What it requires: When natural pauses in a video aren’t long enough for standard audio description to fit, the video is paused periodically to insert longer description.
Common failure: A fast-paced product video with continuous narration leaves no room for standard audio description, and no extended-description version exists.
Fix it: Produce an extended-description version that pauses playback to insert longer narration where needed — typically only worth the production cost for content where the visual detail genuinely can’t be conveyed any other way.
In 1.2 Time-based Media: ← 1.2.6 Sign Language (Prerecorded) · 1.2.8 Media Alternative (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.