WebAIM Contrast Checker

How to Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker

Overview

The WebAIM Contrast Checker is an advanced, user-friendly tool designed to check color contrast for web accessibility compliance with WCAG 2.1 guidelines. This tool helps designers, developers, and content creators ensure their color combinations are accessible to all users, including those with visual impairments.

Key Features

1. Color Selection

• Foreground & Background Color Pickers: Use the color pickers or enter hex values (#RRGGBB format)

• Color Preview: Visual representation of selected colors

• Color History: Quick access to recently used colors

• Swap Colors Button: Instantly swap foreground and background colors

2. Contrast Analysis

• Real-time Contrast Ratio Calculation: Automatically calculates the contrast ratio between selected colors

• Luminance Values: Shows relative luminance for both colors

• WCAG Compliance Checks: Verifies against three WCAG standards:

  • WCAG AA (Normal Text) – Requires 4.5:1 ratio

  • WCAG AA (Large Text) – Requires 3:1 ratio

  • WCAG AAA (Normal Text) – Requires 7:1 ratio

3. Accessibility Assessment

• Pass/Fail Indicators: Clear visual indicators for each WCAG standard

• Accessibility Rating: Overall rating (Excellent, Good, Acceptable, Poor)

• Detailed Recommendations: Specific suggestions based on your contrast ratio

4. Live Preview

• Interactive Text Preview: See how text appears with your selected colors

• Text Size Controls: Test with Normal, Large (18pt+), and Extra Large (24pt+) text

• Text Style Toggles: Toggle bold and italic styles to see different text variations

5. Advanced Options

• Show/Hide Luminance: Toggle luminance value display

• Save Color History: Enable/disable color history saving

• Large Text Mode: Assume text is large (18pt+) for compliance checking

• Bold Text Mode: Assume text is bold for compliance checking

6. Export & Sharing

• Copy Colors: Copy color values and contrast ratio to clipboard

• Download PDF Report: Generate a detailed PDF report of your analysis

• Reset Colors: Reset to default color combination

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Select Your Colors

1. Choose Foreground Color (text color):

   • Click the color picker or enter a hex value (e.g., #2c3e50)

   • Or select from color history below

2. Choose Background Color:

   • Click the color picker or enter a hex value (e.g., #ecf0f1)

   • Or select from color history below

3. Optional: Click “Swap Colors” to reverse the foreground and background

Step 2: Analyze Contrast Results

1. View Contrast Ratio: The tool automatically calculates and displays the contrast ratio

2. Check WCAG Compliance: See which accessibility standards your colors meet

3. Read Recommendations: Follow the suggestions to improve accessibility if needed

Step 3: Test with Live Preview

1. View Text Appearance: See how text looks with your selected colors

2. Adjust Text Size: Click Normal, Large, or Extra Large buttons

3. Change Text Style: Toggle bold and italic to test different scenarios

Step 4: Use Advanced Options (Optional)

1. Toggle Luminance Display: Show/hide luminance values

2. Enable Large Text Mode: For testing large text scenarios

3. Enable Bold Text Mode: For testing bold text scenarios

4. Manage Color History: Enable/disable saving of color history

Step 5: Export Your Results

1. Copy Colors: Click “Copy Colors” to copy values to clipboard

2. Download PDF Report: Click “Download PDF” for a detailed report

3. Reset: Click “Reset” to start over with default colors

Understanding the Results

Contrast Ratio Meaning

• 8.59:1 or higher: Excellent contrast (WCAG AAA compliant)

• 4.5:1 to 7:1: Good contrast (WCAG AA compliant)

• 3:1 to 4.5:1: Acceptable for large text only

• Below 3:1: Poor contrast (not WCAG compliant)

WCAG Compliance Status

• PASS (Green): Meets the required contrast ratio

• FAIL (Red): Does not meet the required contrast ratio

Accessibility Ratings

• Excellent: Contrast ratio ≥ 7:1

• Good: Contrast ratio ≥ 4.5:1

• Acceptable: Contrast ratio ≥ 3:1 (large text only)

• Poor: Contrast ratio < 3:1

PDF Report Features

When you download a PDF report, it includes:

• Color information with visual swatches

• Contrast ratio and accessibility rating

• WCAG compliance status

• Live preview of text appearance

• Detailed recommendations

• Website attribution (www.freetoolscraft.com)

• Privacy notice

Best Practices

For Optimal Accessibility:

1. Aim for at least 4.5:1 ratio for normal text

2. Use higher contrast (7:1+) for important content

3. Test with actual content using the Live Preview

4. Consider different text sizes and styles

5. Check both light and dark modes if applicable

Common Use Cases:

• Web Design: Check color combinations for websites

• App Development: Test UI color schemes

• Document Creation: Ensure readable text in PDFs or presentations

• Branding: Verify logo and brand color accessibility

• Content Creation: Check social media graphics and infographics

Privacy & Data Security

• 100% Client-side Processing: All calculations happen in your browser

• No Data Transmission: No colors or results are sent to any server

• No Data Storage: Your selections are not stored anywhere

• Complete Privacy: Your color combinations remain confidential

Technical Requirements

• Modern Web Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.

• JavaScript Enabled: Required for tool functionality

• Internet Connection: Only for loading initial resources (FontAwesome icons, jsPDF library)

Troubleshooting

If PDF Download Doesn’t Work:

1. Ensure you have a modern browser

2. Check if pop-ups are blocked (allow pop-ups for this site)

3. Try refreshing the page and trying again

4. Ensure sufficient disk space for download

If Colors Don’t Update:

1. Ensure hex values are in correct format (#RRGGBB or #RGB)

2. Check for typos in hex values

3. Refresh the page if issues persist

Support

This tool is provided by www.freetoolscraft.com. For questions or feedback, please visit our website.

Remember: Accessible design benefits everyone, not just users with disabilities. By ensuring proper color contrast, you create a better experience for all your users while complying with accessibility standards and regulations.