Embedded media needs a text description

PDF/UA check SCREEN_ANNOT_CONTENTS · Annotations · severity Critical · PDF/UA 8.9.2.4.12 Screen annotations

↩ Back to the rules index · WCAG cross-reference

Why it matters#

Embedded media (video, audio) is invisible to screen readers without alternative text. Without Contents, blind users have no idea media is present.

What you will see#

A Screen annotation carrying audio or video has no Contents entry describing it.

How to fix#

Add a Contents entry to the Screen annotation dictionary describing the embedded audio or video (e.g. 'Video: product assembly walkthrough, 3 minutes').

Step-by-step guide#

1. Locate each flagged Screen annotation using the report's page numbers and previews; Screen annotations are the playback regions of legacy embedded audio or video.
2. Add a Contents entry to each Screen annotation dictionary describing the media, e.g. Video: product assembly walkthrough, 3 minutes. Acrobat Pro exposes no UI field that writes the Contents entry of a Screen annotation, so the fix must come from the source - see the next step.
3. If re-authoring is easier, replace the media at the source and re-export, then confirm the exporting tool wrote a Contents description on the new annotation.
4. If the directly enclosing structure element carries an Alt entry, make Alt identical to Contents (8.9.4.2).
5. While editing, also confirm the annotation is tagged in the structure tree (ANNOT_TAGGED) and that its rendition's media clip data dictionary carries CT and Alt entries (MEDIA_CLIP_CT, MEDIA_CLIP_ALT).

Verify: Re-run the EQChecker scan; SCREEN_ANNOT_CONTENTS should report zero errors.

Note: 8.9.2.4.12 requires the Contents entry unconditionally on Screen annotations, and EQChecker fails empty or whitespace-only values. The description only identifies the media; per the clause NOTE, WCAG requirements such as captions and audio description still apply to the media itself. This check runs under PDF/UA-2 only.

WCAG success criteria#

1.1.1 Non-text Content — Level A#

All non-text content (images, icons, controls) needs a text alternative that conveys the same purpose, or be marked decorative so assistive tech can ignore it.

Understanding 1.1.1

Standards#

This check contributes to the following standards:

PDF/UA WCAG A EN 301 549