The accessibility guide · Motion and media
The autoplay video at the top of your site
An autoplay video is motion nobody chose to start. Here's what it does to guests with vestibular disorders and attention disabilities — and what to do instead.
The choice you’re proud of
The cinematic autoplay video across the top
What it actually is
A video that plays on its own the moment the page loads. The autoplay itself is the problem — motion nobody chose to start. A pause button only helps if it genuinely stops the video the instant it's pressed; better still is to load a still frame and let the guest press play. Either way, the video still needs a text description of what it shows.
Who it shuts out
People with vestibular disorders — inner-ear conditions — get dizzy or nauseous from motion they didn't start. People with ADHD, autism, or other attention and cognitive disabilities can't pull their focus off a moving picture long enough to read a word beside it. If they can't stop it the instant they need to, they can't steady the page — so they leave.