WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.2, Audio Control, is a Level A requirement: audio that plays automatically can be paused or muted.
Read the criterion in the W3C Recommendation, WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab).
How BearScan checks it
Audio that plays automatically can be paused or muted
Checked automatically: reads the HTML. Severity: high. Autoplaying sound talks over the screen reader, so a blind user cannot hear the controls they would need to stop it.
An approximation: Reads the autoplay, muted and controls attributes, and axe-core's no-autoplay-audio result when the page was rendered. Sound started by script, and a custom pause control outside the element, are not visible in markup.
How to fix it. Do not autoplay sound. If media must start on its own, start it muted, or provide a pause or mute control at the very top of the page.
All WCAG 2.2 criteria · Next: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
Questions
Is WCAG 1.4.2 required by the ADA?
The ADA doesn't name a technical standard for businesses, but the Justice Department's 2022 guidance points businesses to WCAG, and its 2024 rule for state and local governments adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which includes 1.4.2.
Can an automated tool check WCAG 1.4.2?
Mostly. BearScan checks it automatically (reads the HTML). A clean result still isn't proof every page passes, only the pages scanned.
How do I fix a WCAG 1.4.2 failure?
Do not autoplay sound. If media must start on its own, start it muted, or provide a pause or mute control at the very top of the page.