Resource guide
1.2.8 Media Alternative (Prerecorded)
A full written alternative covering both the audio and visual content of a prerecorded video must be provided.
By Calling All Minds·Last updated April 2026
Success criterion
Conformance level
Enhanced accessibility — beyond the legal minimum.
What it means
At Level AAA, a complete text alternative to the video must be available. This is more thorough than a transcript: it describes everything a viewer would see and hear, including actions, expressions, on-screen text, scene descriptions, speaker identification, and meaningful sounds.
The goal is that someone who cannot access the video at all can gain exactly the same information from the text alternative.
In practice
Write a document that reads like a film script combined with a transcript. Include descriptions of what is happening visually alongside all spoken dialogue.
Link to the text alternative prominently next to the video, not hidden in a footnote or separate page.
Common failures
- Text alternative that only covers the audio without describing the visual content
- Text alternative that is a summary rather than a complete representation
AXS Audit
AXS Audit checks your site against 1.2.8 and flags issues your team can act on straight away. It covers criteria that automated scanners often miss.