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For readable text, create a reliable difference in luminance between the text and its background, then check the result where it will actually appear. A hue change or a decorative shadow may look dramatic but still leave text hard to read. On a changing photograph, gradient, or video, use a local panel or scrim rather than trusting a color-pair check alone.
What contrast measures
In accessibility guidance, text contrast is based on the relative luminance of the foreground and background—not simply how different their hues look. The ratio runs from 1:1, identical luminance, to 21:1, the maximum contrast between black and white. Its formula is (L1 + 0.05) / (L2 + 0.05), where L1 is the lighter color’s relative luminance and L2 is the darker color’s.
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WCAG 2.2 contrast thresholds
| Text | Level AA | Level AAA |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary text | 4.5:1 | 7:1 |
| Large text | 3:1 | 4.5:1 |
WCAG generally defines large text as at least 18-point regular or 14-point bold. Meeting the 3:1 large-text threshold does not make that same color pair suitable for small body text. These are WCAG 2.2 conformance thresholds, not a guarantee that every person will find the text comfortable to read. AAA is a stronger conformance level, not a universal legal requirement. Some inactive interface text and qualifying logos have exceptions; do not extend those exceptions to ordinary labels or functional controls. See the W3C explanation of minimum contrast and its enhanced contrast guidance.
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WCAG also has separate requirements for meaningful non-text graphics and interface components, such as certain icons, control boundaries, and focus indicators. Text contrast checks do not cover those elements; see W3C’s Non-text Contrast guidance.
Choose a method for the background
Solid colors: test the pair, then adjust lightness
A solid background is the most predictable case. Choose the intended text and surface colors, test the actual pair, and adjust one side until it passes the threshold for that text size. Dark text on a light surface and light text on a dark surface are useful starting points, not guarantees: white can fail on a mid-value color, and black can fail on a pastel or light gray.
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.text {
color: #1a1a1a;
background: #ffffff;
}This snippet is a pattern, not an automatic pass. Test your chosen colors and each text role independently: body copy, headings, links, captions, placeholders, buttons, and error or success messages can all use different combinations.
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Photographs and video: add a panel or local scrim
Photos and video contain many luminance values, so a single foreground/background pair cannot describe the whole area beneath the text. The most reliable fix is an opaque panel behind the words. A semi-transparent panel can preserve more of the image, but its final appearance depends on what shows through it; test the composited result rather than the panel’s nominal color.
.caption {
color: #fff;
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.8);
padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;
border-radius: 0.25rem;
}For a larger image area, use a scrim—a translucent layer between the image and the text. Localize it around the copy so the rest of the image remains visible:
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position: relative;
color: #fff;
background: url("hero-image.jpg") center / cover;
}
.hero::before {
content: "";
position: absolute;
inset: 0;
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.45);
}
.hero__content {
position: relative;
}If the text sits near the bottom, a gradient can concentrate the darkening there:
.hero::before {
background: linear-gradient(
to top,
rgb(0 0 0 / 0.78) 0%,
rgb(0 0 0 / 0.38) 48%,
rgb(0 0 0 / 0.05) 100%
);
}A scrim that works on one image may fail on another. Check the brightest and darkest areas behind the words, every responsive crop, and representative video scenes. For user-selected or animated media, test the worst plausible background. W3C identifies insufficient contrast over background imagery as a failure when foreground text is not distinguishable; a single successful frame does not establish that a changing background is reliable.
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Gradients and translucent treatments: inspect the whole text area
A gradient can provide a smooth transition, but endpoint colors do not tell you whether the middle of the gradient passes. Check where every line of text sits, including after wrapping or resizing. The same rule applies to translucent text, panels, and layered effects: assess the final composite, not an unblended color swatch.
Text over imagery: move it before adding heavier effects
Sometimes the simplest fix is art direction. Place text over a quiet, low-detail part of the image—a plain sky rather than foliage, for example—or reserve a margin for it. If moving the copy is not possible, simplify or darken the background locally with a wash, crop, blur, or panel. Blur removes detail but does not guarantee sufficient luminance contrast: a bright blurred area can still be too close in value to white text.
Outlines and halos: useful, but not a universal fix
A stroke or halo can separate a title from a photograph when a box would spoil the composition. It is most useful for large text on a moderately variable background:
.overlay-title {
color: #fff;
text-shadow:
-1px -1px 0 #000,
1px -1px 0 #000,
-1px 1px 0 #000,
1px 1px 0 #000;
}Do not assume that any shadow makes text accessible. A thin edge may be treated as part of the text rather than a usable background for contrast measurement; a sufficiently wide halo may act as the relevant background. A narrow outline is especially unreliable for small body copy. W3C’s contrast guidance on halos and text boundaries explains this distinction.
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Typography supports contrast; it does not replace it
Use a sturdy typeface, adequate weight, and a size appropriate to the viewing distance. Thin or unusual letterforms can look faint because of anti-aliasing, particularly when small or placed over imagery. Give lines enough space, avoid long passages in all caps, and test at the smallest size at which the text will actually render. Increasing size can qualify text for the lower large-text threshold, but it is not a reason to leave small copy difficult to read. W3C discusses these practical issues in its enhanced contrast guidance.
Use blend modes cautiously
Blend modes change the resulting color according to both the text and the background. That makes them difficult to rely on for critical text over varied images. Figma describes blend modes as interactions between base, blend, and result colors; modes such as Overlay, Screen, and Multiply can produce different results as the background changes. Use them for decoration only when the backgrounds are controlled and an accessible fallback is available. See Figma’s blend-mode documentation.
Keep themes and interaction states readable
Do not assume one color pair will work in both light and dark themes. Define and test each theme separately:
:root {
--surface: #ffffff;
--text: #1b1b1b;
}
[data-theme="dark"] {
--surface: #151515;
--text: #f5f5f5;
}
body {
color: var(--text);
background: var(--surface);
}Check text in normal, hover, keyboard-focus, active, and placeholder states wherever it appears. A focus indicator is a separate non-text contrast concern: it should remain visible against the immediate background and adjacent surfaces. Preserve a visible keyboard focus style rather than removing the browser outline without a replacement.
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:focus-visible {
outline: 3px solid #005fcc;
outline-offset: 3px;
}For links, errors, selections, and status indicators, do not rely on color alone to communicate meaning. Add a label, underline, icon, pattern, border, or shape change as appropriate.
How to test
- Check a solid pair. Enter the foreground and background colors in a contrast checker and compare the result with the threshold for the actual text size.
- Review the rendered text. Check the real typeface, weight, size, and smallest responsive presentation—not only values in a design file.
- Inspect all states. Include links, placeholders, hover and focus text, messages, active controls, and each theme.
- For variable backgrounds, inspect the area beneath the copy. Check the brightest and darkest patches, gradients through their full range, each image crop, and representative video scenes. Check again when text wraps or localizes into a longer string.
- Use a checker for what it can measure. Tools designed for two solid colors cannot fully evaluate every pixel in a photograph, transparency stack, animation, or blend mode. Combine a ratio check with visual inspection of the actual result.
- Retest after changes. A crop, font substitution, zoom, responsive breakpoint, or user preference can shift text onto a less suitable area.
WebAIM’s Contrast Checker is a straightforward option for solid foreground/background pairs. Figma’s online checker also reports WCAG AA and AAA results and offers color-vision simulation previews. Simulation can help reveal certain design issues, but it does not replace ratio testing or checking the rendered page.
When a pair fails: a practical order of fixes
- Darken or lighten the text to increase luminance separation.
- If the foreground is fixed by the brand, change the background instead.
- For an image or other variable background, add a local scrim or panel; test the composited result.
- Move the text to a quieter part of the image or simplify the area behind it.
- Increase weight or size where appropriate, then test again; typography is support, not a substitute for contrast.
- Use a halo for large text when a panel is unsuitable, but do not rely on a thin outline for small copy.
- If the background is still unpredictable, put the text on a solid surface or move it beside or below the image.
Design for more than the ideal screen
Use real text rather than baking words into an image when the technology can present them as text. Real text can resize and adapt more readily to user settings; images of text are covered by a separate WCAG criterion with exceptions for essential or customizable presentations. Provide a textual alternative when a graphic carries essential information.
Also account for zoom, font substitution, browser and operating-system preferences, and forced-colors modes. Avoid making legibility depend entirely on a decorative effect. For long-form reading, a plain surface or a user-selectable high-contrast presentation can be more dependable than text over an image. WCAG 2.2 generally requires text to be resizable up to 200% without loss of content or functionality, subject to the criterion’s scope and exceptions; consult the WCAG 2.2 specification for the formal requirements.
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