WCAG 2.0 · Level AAA · Perceivable
1.4.7 Low or No Background Audio
Manual verification
How to validate 1.4.7 by hand
For prerecorded audio with foreground speech, assess whether background sounds are sufficiently quiet or controllable.
Start with the extension result
Reopen the reported URL and reproduce the same state (for example, after expanding a menu or submitting a form). Use the result’s Highlight action when available, or its affected-element details and CSS selector, to find the reported content. Apply the checks below to that content and its context. If the element or state has changed, rescan and record that difference before deciding whether the finding still applies.
- Listen to the complete audio in a representative playback environment and identify foreground speech and background sound.
- Determine whether background audio is at least 20 dB below speech, is brief, or can be turned off independently.
- For mixed content, inspect the audio track or use a measurement method to compare speech and background levels rather than relying only on a quick impression.
Evidence to record
Record the segment, speech/background levels or listening observation, and which criterion condition is met or not met.
Scope and exceptions
The criterion applies to prerecorded audio-only content with foreground speech. The specified conditions and exceptions matter; a subjective impression alone may not establish a measured threshold.
Record the review outcome
- Confirmed: the recorded evidence shows the requirement is not met in the tested page state, and no applicable exception explains it.
- Not reproduced: the reported issue is absent in the current state. Record the URL, state, and affected element you checked; this does not prove other pages or states conform.
- Needs more review: evidence is incomplete, the content requires human judgment, or an exception is uncertain. Record what remains to be checked instead of treating it as a pass.