Free WCAG Contrast Checker
Check color contrast ratio for WCAG 2.0 AA and AAA compliance. 100% in your browser.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
How It Works
Checks the contrast ratio between foreground and background colors against WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards. Tests both AA and AAA compliance for normal and large text sizes. Enter hex colors, see the ratio, and get instant pass/fail results with a text preview.
When to Use It
- Verifying website text colors meet WCAG standards before launch.
- Testing readability across different font sizes — standards differ for normal vs large text.
- Building accessible design systems with pre-verified color pairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum contrast ratio?
WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. AAA requires 7:1 and 4.5:1 respectively. AA is standard compliance; AAA is enhanced. The tool checks both.
Why does font size matter?
Larger text is inherently more readable, so it needs lower contrast. Text at 18px+ regular or 14px+ bold is "large text" with relaxed requirements.
What if brand colors fail?
Slightly darken or lighten one color until it passes, use failing combinations only for decorative elements, or add overlays between text and background. Try the swap feature for inverted combos.
All calculations happen in your browser. No data is sent to any server.