You can’t find the source, and your brain is going into panic mode. For many users, this isn’t just a mild annoyance – it can interfere with how they navigate or process the page.
Audio Control ensures that no one gets stuck scrambling to mute or stop unwanted audio, giving users the power to manage sound on their own terms and avoid that “rogue tab” chaos.
Who this impacts
- Screen reader users: Unexpected audio can overlap with screen reader speech, creating a confusing experience.
- People with cognitive impairments: Background sounds can make it harder to focus, leading to a frustrating and overwhelming experience.
- People in shared spaces: Particularly when they are not alone, users need control over audio to prevent disruptions or awkward moments.
- Everyone: We all benefit from the ability to control autoplay audio for a smoother web experience.
How to meet Audio Control
- Include an audio control option: Users must be able to stop, pause, or mute any audio that plays automatically for more than three seconds.
- Use accessible audio controls: Ensure the controls for audio are easy to use and compatible with assistive technologies.
- Limit autoplay: Avoid having long audio clips play automatically unless it’s necessary for the content or experience.
Practical example
A website for an online course plays audio as part of the lesson, but users are given clear play, pause, and volume buttons to control the audio playback.
Exceptions
Autoplay audio is only acceptable if it’s less than three seconds or if the audio is crucial to completing a task.
Top tips
- Start muted: Make the controls clear, but don’t blare it out of their speakers without the user choosing to enable sound.
- Test audio controls with screen readers: Make sure the stop and pause buttons are accessible to all users, including those using assistive technology.
- Place controls prominently: Ensure that audio control buttons are visible and easy to locate, especially if the audio starts automatically.
- Consider user preference: Where possible, let users choose whether or not audio plays automatically by providing a setting in their account preferences.
- Just say no: Ask yourself if you really need it. Seriously, autoplaying audio is likely to create a bad user experience for all users.