Level AWCAG 2.2

1.4.2 Audio Control

Audio that plays automatically for more than 3 seconds has a mechanism to pause, stop, or control its volume.

Why it matters

Screen readers
Autoplaying audio collides with screen reader speech, making the site hard to use.
Cognitive impairment
Unexpected audio can cause panic or confusion for users who are easily distracted.
Environmental factors
In quiet environments such as offices or libraries, sudden audio disturbs those around the user.
Mobile use
When using a device in public transit without headphones, autoplay audio becomes socially problematic.

Live demo

Controlling autoplay audio

BGM - Welcome page

Playing automatically...

No control

No controls are provided, so the user cannot stop the audio

Interferes with screen reader speech

Understand through a persona

Takahashi (52) — Totally blind, screen reader user

When background music starts the moment a site loads, he can no longer hear his screen reader. He wants to find the stop button, but cannot hear its announcement. 'It's a vicious cycle — I can't find the button that turns off the sound.'

Checklist

References