Finalsite + AudioEye: Fix captions and transcripts

Misty Flowers

April 29, 2026 13:42

A step-by-step walkthrough for editors covering every video type in Finalsite: hero area videos, Video Elements, YouTube Elements, Vimeo Elements, and Embed Elements. The fix is different for each.

💡Quick answers

What does AudioEye mean when it flags a video for missing captions? A video on your page has no captions, or captions exist but are turned off by default, making the audio content inaccessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing users.
Can AudioEye add captions to my videos automatically? No. AudioEye identifies the issue. You add captions in Finalsite or on the video hosting platform.
How do I find which video is flagged? Open the flagged page and add /?oss=1 to the URL. The AudioEye Accessibility Page Scanner highlights the video element and describes the issue.
How do I fix a video uploaded directly to Finalsite? Upload a WebVTT (.vtt) caption file through the element settings in Composer. This applies to hero area videos and Video Elements.
How do I fix a YouTube video embedded on my site? Captions are managed in YouTube Studio, not in Finalsite. Review and publish the auto-generated captions for the video, then verify they are on by default in the embed.
How do I fix a Vimeo video? Upload a caption file in Vimeo's video settings under Subtitles. Set a default language so captions load automatically.
What about videos added through an Embed Element? The fix depends on the source platform. For raw YouTube iframes, add cc_load_policy=1 to the URL. For Vimeo iframes, add texttrack=en. For other platforms, contact your video provider.
What is a transcript and when do I need one? A transcript is a full text version of the video's audio. WCAG requires transcripts for audio-only content. For video, a transcript is best practice and adds an important accessibility layer alongside captions.

Why captions and transcripts matter

Captions make video content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also benefit users watching in noisy environments, users watching with the sound off, and non-native English speakers. Search engines also index caption text, which improves the discoverability of your video content.

Transcripts serve a related but distinct purpose. A user who cannot access a video at all can read a transcript to get the same information. Transcripts are also easier to search, translate, and reference later.

WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.2.2 (Captions, Prerecorded) requires captions on all prerecorded video with audio. This is a Level A requirement. Learn more at WebAIM: Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions.

What AudioEye shows you

On your AudioEye report, caption issues appear with messages like "Video element missing captions," "Video does not have captions enabled," or "Prerecorded video missing text alternative." AudioEye may also separately flag autoplay video without a pause control (WCAG 1.4.2 Audio Control). If you see that flag alongside a caption flag on the same video, address both at the same time.

Step 1: Find the flagged video

Open the page your AudioEye report flagged, then add /?oss=1 to the end of the URL. The AudioEye Accessibility Page Scanner highlights the specific video element and shows you the WCAG criterion and a description of what is missing. If the page has multiple videos, the scanner lists each flag separately.

Step 2: Identify which type of video element you have

The fix is different for each video type in Finalsite. Open the page in Composer and click on the video element to see its type in the element settings panel.

Hero area video: a full-width background video at the top of the page, typically set in the Hero or Banner element settings.
Video element: a dedicated Composer element that plays an uploaded video file.
YouTube element: a Composer element that embeds a YouTube video by URL or ID.
Vimeo element: a Composer element that embeds a Vimeo video by URL or ID.
Embed element: a Composer element containing raw HTML, often an iframe pasted from a video platform or third-party tool.

Not sure which type it is?

In Composer, click on the video. The element name appears in the top left of the element toolbar. If you see a raw iframe code in the element, it is an Embed Element regardless of the source.

Step 3: Add captions for your video type

Select the accordion below for your video type.

Hero area videos and Video Elements (uploaded directly to Finalsite)

These video types support WebVTT (.vtt) caption files uploaded directly in Finalsite. A WebVTT file is a plain text file containing caption text along with timestamps.

In Composer, click on the element to select it, then open its settings (the pencil or Edit icon).
Look for a Captions, Text Tracks, or Accessibility tab within the element settings.
Upload your .vtt file and set the language (typically English).
Save the element and publish the page.

Do not have a .vtt file yet?

If the video is also on YouTube, use YouTube Studio to generate auto-captions, then download the transcript as an .sbv or .srt file and convert it to .vtt using a free tool like Rev.com or Happy Scribe. If the video is not on YouTube, a transcription service like Rev.com can caption it for you.

For full step-by-step instructions on uploading a caption file via Resources, see Add captions to a video file in the Finalsite Knowledge Base.

YouTube Elements

Captions for YouTube videos are managed in YouTube Studio, not in Finalsite. The Finalsite YouTube Element embeds the video; whatever caption settings are on the video in YouTube carry through to the embed.

Log into YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com) and open the video.
Go to Subtitles in the left menu.
YouTube auto-generates captions for most videos. Review them carefully. Auto-captions frequently contain errors, especially for names, acronyms, and technical terms common in school communications.
Edit and publish the captions in YouTube Studio.
Return to your Finalsite page and verify with /?oss=1 that the flag has cleared.

If AudioEye still flags the video after captions are published

The YouTube embed may have captions disabled in the embed parameters. In the YouTube Element settings in Composer, look for an option to show captions by default, or edit the embed URL to include cc_load_policy=1 in the parameters.

Vimeo Elements

Like YouTube, Vimeo captions are managed on the Vimeo platform.

Log into Vimeo and open the video settings.
Go to Subtitles (under the Distribution or Accessibility tab, depending on your Vimeo plan).
Upload a .vtt, .srt, or .dfxp caption file. Vimeo does not auto-generate captions on all plans; you may need to create the file manually or use a transcription service.
Set a default language so captions load automatically when the video plays.
Save and verify with /?oss=1 on your Finalsite page.

Embed Elements (raw HTML / iframe)

Embed Elements contain raw HTML, typically an iframe pasted from a video platform. The approach varies by source.

YouTube iframe embeds: add cc_load_policy=1&cc_lang_pref=en to the video URL inside the iframe src attribute to force captions on by default.
Vimeo iframe embeds: add ?texttrack=en to the video URL inside the iframe src to enable English captions by default.
Other platforms (Kaltura, Brightcove, Panopto, etc.): contact your video platform's support team for instructions on enabling captions in embed codes.

Not sure what to change in the embed code?

If you did not create the Embed Element yourself, contact Finalsite Support rather than editing the embed code directly. An incorrect edit can break the video or the page layout.

Step 4: Add a transcript

A transcript is a full text version of the audio in a video. Captions are synchronized with video playback; a transcript is a standalone text document.

WCAG 1.2.1 (Audio-only and Video-only, Prerecorded) requires a transcript for audio-only content, such as a podcast recording or audio announcement. For standard video with synchronized captions, a transcript is not strictly required under WCAG 2.1 Level AA, but it is strongly recommended.

Options for adding a transcript in Finalsite:

A collapsible Accordion element below the video labeled "Read the transcript," which keeps the page tidy while making it available to those who need it.
A linked document (PDF or Word file) uploaded to Resources and linked from a text element near the video.
Inline text in a Content element below the video, for shorter videos where the transcript is brief.

If you already have a caption file for the video, the transcript is the caption text without the timestamps. For videos without existing captions, services like Rev.com, Otter.ai, and Happy Scribe can generate transcripts at low cost.

Step 5: Verify the fix

Publish your change.
Reload the page with /?oss=1 on the end of the URL.
Confirm the scanner no longer flags the video. If it does, check that captions are published (not saved as a draft) on the hosting platform, and that any embed parameters are correct.
Manually play the video and confirm captions appear.
The AudioEye report runs on a rolling 7-day window. The live scan confirms your fix immediately; the main report takes about a week to update.

Still stuck?

If a video is still flagged after you have added captions, or if you cannot locate the caption settings in a particular element, email accessibility@finalsite.com. Send the page URL, the video type, and a note on what you have tried. For Embed Elements with third-party video platforms, include the name of the platform.