10/13/2026
Captions on Business Videos: What WCAG Asks For
Short answer: the web accessibility standard WCAG asks for captions on recorded video that has sound, at its most basic level, Level A. Captions help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and they also help anyone watching with the sound off. Add them to every business video, then read them once before you publish. WCAG is a technical standard. Whether a law requires it for your business depends on who you are and where you work, which is a question for a lawyer.
What the standard says
WCAG, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, is published by the World Wide Web Consortium. Success Criterion 1.2.2 reads: "Captions are provided for all prerecorded audio content in synchronized media, except when the media is a media alternative for text and is clearly labeled as such." It is a Level A criterion. The W3C explains that its intent is "to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to watch synchronized media presentations" (W3C: Understanding Success Criterion 1.2.2, Captions (Prerecorded), WCAG 2.2). In plain terms: a recorded video with sound needs captions that match what is said.
Who captions help
The standard names people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captions also help anyone watching with the sound off. That second group is our own point, not the standard's, but it is a good reason to make captions standard.
A checklist before you publish
Six checks for every business video
1. Captions exist
Every video with speech has them, as part of the video or as a caption file you upload with it.
2. They are read once by a person
Machine-made captions can misspell names, places and brands. Read the whole thing before you publish.
3. Names and numbers are right
Check people's names, your company name, addresses, prices and phone numbers in particular.
4. They stay in sync
If you re-cut the video, the captions need to be re-timed or regenerated.
5. The words match what is said
Captions carry what the audio carries. Do not summarize.
6. A transcript is nearby
Put the text on the page beside the video as well, so it can be read, searched and quoted.
For AI-made video
If a video has an AI-generated voice or speech, caption it the same way, and check the captions against the script, not only against the sound. Our AI video checklist includes reading the captions, since names and places are where speech tools slip. And say it is AI where that applies: see AI video or real footage.
Where to put the video
Wherever you host a video, check that its captions are on. For the host-or-embed decision, see should you host videos on your website or on YouTube.
If you would like help adding captions to the videos you already have, get in touch.
FAQ
Do business videos need captions?
WCAG asks for captions on recorded video with sound at Level A, its most basic level. Whether a law requires them for your business is a question for a lawyer.
Who benefits from captions?
People who are deaf or hard of hearing, according to the W3C, and anyone watching with the sound off.
Can I rely on automatic captions?
Use them as a first draft and read every line before you publish. Names, places and brand names are where errors are likely.
Researched and drafted with AI, then reviewed and edited by the site's editors.