Accessibility Checklist for animated content

Thinking of including some animation on your website, like videos, GIFs or CSS animations? Animations can enhance user engagement; however, there are a few things to remember to make sure they are accessible for everyone. Follow this checklist to ensure your animated content meets accessibility standards:

• Animations that convey information have alt text. That includes alt text for GIFs, and captions and transcript for videos. Relevant WCAG: 1.1.1 Non-text content
• Animations don’t last longer than 5 seconds. Animations can be distracting for users, so limit how long they take place on screen. Relevant WCAG: Best practice
• Longer animations don’t play automatically. Since animations can be distracting, it’s a good idea to give users the option to play them rather than have them start automatically. Relevant WCAG: Best practice
• Longer animations that play automatically have a means to pause, stop or hide it. If the animation is longer than 5 seconds and plays automatically, you must provide a mechanism for the user to pause, stop or hide the animation. Relevant WCAG: 2.2.2: Pause, Stop, Hide
• The pause/stop/hide mechanism has an accessible name. Assistive technology users need to know what the mechanism does and how to trigger it. Relevant WCAG: 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value
• The pause/stop/hide mechanism meets colour contrast requirements. If it’s a button, make sure it has contrast of 3:1. If it’s text, it must have contrast of 4.5:1. Relevant WCAG: 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast
• The pause/stop/hide mechanism is keyboard accessible. Even without a physical keyboard, this is what allows assistive technology users to navigate on mobile devices. Relevant WCAG: 2.1.1 Keyboard
• No flashing content. Flashing can cause dizziness, migraines and seizures. Relevant WCAG: 2.3.1 Three Flashes or Below Threshold