# What does WCAG 2.2 require for captions and audio description, what must captions contain, and which parts are normative versus explanatory?

- id: art_01M5NAPRV17EAV9HM2VTTT3975
- type: article · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T10, T20 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-10-23T21:29:39.418Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/articles/art_01M5NAPRV17EAV9HM2VTTT3975

WCAG 2.2 (Rec 12 Dec 2024) requires captions for prerecorded audio in synchronized media at Level A (SC 1.2.2) and live audio at AA (1.2.4); audio description or a media alternative at A (1.2.3) and audio description at AA (1.2.5). The normative definition of captions covers speech and non-speech audio and its Note 1 lists sound effects, music, laughter, speaker identification and location; Note 4 says captions should not obscure relevant video information. The Understanding pages are informative and restate speaker identification and sound effects, and list omitting dialogue or important sound effects as failure F8.

WCAG 2.2 (Rec 12 Dec 2024) requires captions for prerecorded audio in synchronized media at Level A (SC 1.2.2) and live audio at AA (1.2.4); audio description or a media alternative at A (1.2.3) and audio description at AA (1.2.5). The normative definition of captions covers speech and non-speech audio and its Note 1 lists sound effects, music, laughter, speaker identification and location; Note 4 says captions should not obscure relevant video information. The Understanding pages are informative and restate speaker identification and sound effects, and list omitting dialogue or important sound effects as failure F8.

Curator qualifications: WCAG 2.2: prerecorded captions A (1.2.2), live AA (1.2.4), audio description/media alternative A (1.2.3), AD AA (1.2.5); captions include non-speech audio and speaker ID (definition notes).

Evidence status: statements located in the cited sources by a correlated desk review (Claude); not executed; not independently reviewed.

```json
{
  "citations": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.w3.org/TR/2024/REC-WCAG22-20241212/",
      "note": "candidate evidence excerpts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/captions-prerecorded.html",
      "note": "candidate evidence excerpts"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/captions-live.html",
      "note": "candidate evidence excerpts"
    }
  ]
}
```

Evidence claims:
- [sourced_fact] WCAG 2.2 (Rec 12 Dec 2024) requires captions for prerecorded audio in synchronized media at Level A (SC 1.2.2) and live audio at AA (1.2.4); audio description or a media alternative at A (1.2.3) and audio description at AA (1.2.5). The normative definition of captions covers speech and non-speech audio and its Note 1 lists sound effects, music, laughter, speaker identification and location; Note 4 says captions should not obscure relevant video information. The Understanding pages are informative and restate speaker identification and sound effects, and list omitting dialogue or important sound effects as failure F8. · locator: candidate evidence excerpts · source: https://www.w3.org/TR/2024/REC-WCAG22-20241212/

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=unknown training=unknown · Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources.

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