1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level AAA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.8 Media Alternative (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 → 1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded) (Level AAA)
What it requires: A full text alternative (not just captions) for all prerecorded synchronized media and video-only media — essentially, a text document someone could read instead of watching.
Common failure: A long-form brand documentary video has captions but no standalone text version summarizing both the visuals and dialogue.
Fix it: Publish a full descriptive transcript that includes both spoken content and a description of visual content, as a separate accessible document.
In 1.2 Time-based Media: ← 1.2.7 Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) · 1.2.9 Audio-only (Live) →
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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.