Why it matters
Screen reader users hear their assistive technology through audio output. Auto-playing audio can drown out the screen reader, making the page impossible to navigate. Users with cognitive disabilities may also find unexpected audio disorienting.
Common violations
- Background music that plays on page load with no controls
- Auto-playing video ads with audio and no mute button
- Embedded media players that start playing without user interaction
- Audio that can only be stopped by muting the entire system
Code examples
Bad
<audio src="background-music.mp3" autoplay loop></audio>Good
<audio src="background-music.mp3" controls>
Your browser does not support the audio element.
</audio>
<!-- Or provide a dedicated mute/pause button -->How to fix
Never autoplay audio for more than 3 seconds. If autoplay is necessary, provide a visible pause/stop button and volume control at the top of the page. Prefer not autoplaying audio at all.
Related criteria
Related resources
Test & fix this criterion
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