Audio Descriptions

title: "Audio Descriptions — Describing Visual Content for Blind Users" description: "Learn how to add audio descriptions to video content that narrate visual information for users who are blind or have low vision." weight: 4 date: 2026-06-28 lastmod: 2026-06-28 tags: [accessibility, media]

Audio descriptions narrate visual information during pauses in dialogue, allowing blind and low vision users to understand the visual content of a video.

## What You'll Learn

How to create and add audio descriptions to video, including the different methods available.

## Why It Matters

Without audio descriptions, blind users miss visual information like actions, expressions, scene changes, and on-screen text that is not spoken.

## Real-World Use

A tutorial video shows the narrator clicking menu items. The audio description says: "The cursor moves to the Settings menu and clicks 'Preferences.'" The blind user understands the steps.

## Audio Description Track

```html
<video controls>
  <source src="tutorial.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track kind="descriptions" src="descriptions-en.vtt"
         srclang="en" label="English audio descriptions">
  <track kind="captions" src="captions-en.vtt"
         srclang="en" label="English captions" default>
</video>

WebVTT for Descriptions

WEBVTT

00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.000
The presenter opens a laptop on a desk.

00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:12.500
She clicks the "Settings" icon in the toolbar.

00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.000
A dialog box appears with five configuration options.

Alternative: Separate Audio File

<!-- Separate audio description file -->
<button onclick="toggleAudioDescription()">
  Audio description: <span id="ad-status">Off</span>
</button>
<audio id="ad-audio" src="descriptions.mp3"></audio>

Common Mistakes

1. Descriptions during dialogue

Audio descriptions must fit in natural pauses between dialogue, not overlap with speech.

2. Describing the obvious

Do not describe what is already clear from the audio: "The man walks" when footsteps are heard.

3. Too fast or too slow

Descriptions should be spoken at a normal pace, fitting naturally in the available gaps.

4. No audio description track

A track with kind="descriptions" is the standard way to provide descriptions.

5. Subjective descriptions

Describe objectively what is seen, not subjective interpretations.

Practice Questions

1. When should audio descriptions play? During natural pauses in dialogue. They must not overlap with speech.

2. What track kind is used for audio descriptions? kind="descriptions" on the track element.

3. What information should audio descriptions include? Visual actions, expressions, scene changes, on-screen text, and any visual information not conveyed through audio.

Challenge: Watch a 30-second video scene without sound. Write an audio description script that describes all visual information.

FAQ

Mini Project

Create an audio description script for a 2-minute video. Write the WebVTT file with proper timestamps that fit in dialogue pauses.

What's Next

Learn about Transcripts and how to provide complete text alternatives for media content.