1.2.9 Audio-only (Live)
Level AAA · added in WCAG 2.0
Live audio with no video, such as a web radio show or a streamed meeting, gets a text alternative in real time. This is level AAA, which most laws and policies don't require, but it is worth providing for important live audio.
Who it helps
Deaf and hard-of-hearing people can follow live audio only if they get the words as text. It also helps people in noisy places and people who can't play sound where they are.
How to meet it
- Provide real-time text from a human captioner (CART) and show it next to the audio player.
- If the speaker reads a prepared statement and sticks to it, link to the text of the script.
- Include speaker names and sounds that matter, such as applause or a question from the audience.
- Tell listeners before the event where to find the live text.
- Publish an edited transcript afterward; the recording then falls under 1.2.1.
Examples
<h2>Live now: City council meeting</h2>
<audio controls src="https://stream.example.com/council/live.mp3"></audio><h2>Live now: City council meeting</h2>
<audio controls src="https://stream.example.com/council/live.mp3"></audio>
<iframe title="Live text of the council meeting"
src="https://captions.example.com/events/council"
width="640" height="200"></iframe><h2>Live at 10am: Statement from the mayor</h2>
<audio controls src="https://stream.example.com/mayor/live.mp3"></audio>
<p><a href="/statements/2026-11-02">Read the full statement</a></p>Can a scanner detect this?
No
No axe-core rule tests live audio alternatives. A tool can't tell whether text arrives during a broadcast or matches what is said. A person has to follow a live session and check the text.
No automated rule tests this criterion. Check it by hand.
Common mistakes
- Linking a prepared script when the speaker goes off-script or takes questions.
- Posting a transcript days later but offering nothing during the live event.
- Relying on unchecked automatic captions for names and specialist terms.
Related criteria
Check your own page
See which automated WCAG checks your page fails, with the failing elements and how to fix them.
Reviewed November 2, 2026