Don’t autoplay sound the user can’t stop

Rule no-autoplay-audio · Document, language & navigation · impact serious · Static + live

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Why it matters#

Audio that starts automatically and cannot be stopped interferes with screen readers (it competes with the speech output) and is disorienting for everyone. Autoplaying media must be muted or expose a control to pause/stop it.

How to fix#

Remove autoplay, add the muted attribute, or add controls so the user can stop the sound. Provide a visible pause/stop button for custom players.

Example#

<audio autoplay src="bg.mp3"></audio>

<audio autoplay muted src="bg.mp3"></audio>

WCAG success criteria#

1.4.2 Audio Control — Level A#

If any audio plays automatically for more than 3 seconds, provide a way to pause or stop it (or control its volume) independently of the overall system volume.

Understanding 1.4.2

Standards#

This rule contributes to the following standards:

WCAG A EN 301 549 Section 508 Trusted Tester

References#

• WCAG — Audio Control