Accessibility glossary

Color contrast

The luminance difference between text (or UI) and its background, which determines readability for low-vision users.

WCAG requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text and UI components. Low-contrast gray text is one of the most common — and most automatable — failures.

Example

Black (#000) on white (#FFF) is 21:1; light gray (#999) on white is about 2.8:1 and fails.

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

What does Color contrast mean?
The luminance difference between text (or UI) and its background, which determines readability for low-vision users.

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