CRITICALWCAG 1.4.2 A
Autoplay Audio
Media audio plays without consent and can overlap assistive technology output.
Try It Yourself
Demo warning
Autoplay audio often starts before users can find controls, masking screen reader speech.
Start the audio simulation and imagine it loading automatically on page entry without a visible stop action.
In real failures this starts on page load and stop controls may be missing.
Manual Testing Protocol
Follow this sequence to reproduce the failure consistently and verify the fix with the same workflow.
1. Setup
- Use speakers/headphones at normal volume.
- Keep a screen reader simulation running to mimic overlapping audio channels.
2. Reproduction Steps
- Trigger the autoplay simulation.
- Attempt to continue reading or navigating while audio plays.
- Try to find a pause/stop method quickly.
3. Expected Failure Signals
- Unexpected sound competes with assistive speech output.
- User focus shifts to stopping audio instead of completing task.
- No immediate and obvious audio control is available in poor implementations.
4. Fix Verification
- No media starts automatically with sound on initial load.
- Pause/stop and independent volume controls are available and keyboard accessible.
- Audio behavior remains predictable after route changes.
Evidence Capture Checklist
- Record the exact user goal that fails (for example: submit form, complete checkout, navigate menu).
- Capture screen recording + keyboard path from first interaction to failure state.
- Map failure to WCAG 1.4.2 (Level A) and affected user groups.
- Document business impact: conversion loss, support burden, legal/compliance risk, or trust damage.
The Impact
What Happens
- Screen reader announcements are masked
- Users in quiet or public spaces are startled
- Many users leave immediately to stop noise
Who Gets Hurt
Screen reader users
Users with cognitive sensitivities
Users sensitive to unexpected sound
Users in shared environments
The Broken Code
<video autoplay>
<source src="promo.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
</video>
<audio autoplay hidden>
<source src="ambience.mp3" type="audio/mpeg" />
</audio>WCAG 1.4.2: Reference
"If audio plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, a mechanism is available to pause or stop it, or control volume independently."
Level A - Unexpected sound can fully disrupt assistive workflows and user trust.
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