Success criterion 1.4.7
Low or No Background Audio
Audio does not contain background sounds, or the background sounds are at least 20 decibels lower than the foreground speech content.
- Level AAA
- Principle 1: Perceivable
- Guideline 1.4: Distinguishable
In a user’s words
“If I wanted to listen to a rock concert while reading, I'd buy tickets!”
What each role can do
- Product manager
- Minimize or eliminate background audio to prioritize speech content.
- Designer
- Provide an option to mute or control the volume of background sounds.
- Developer
- Implement audio controls and levels that align with the guidelines.
- Tester
- Test for audio clarity and ensure that background audio does not drown out speech.
Once it is fixed
“Now I can focus on the content without cranking up my hearing aids. Sweet silence!”
Share this with your team
The quotes are written to illustrate the criterion. They are not testimonials from real people. For the official wording, find 1.4.7 in the W3C quick reference for WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab).
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