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Free Color Contrast Checker

Check the contrast ratio between background and foreground colors. Ensure your design meets WCAG AA and AAA accessibility standards for inclusive web design.

Last Updated: 15 Jan 2026

Background Color

Text Color

Fast & Easy

Accessibility matters for everyone.

Contrast Ratio

21:1

WCAG AA (Normal Text)

Requires 4.5:1

PASS

WCAG AA (Large Text)

Requires 3.0:1

PASS

WCAG AAA (Normal Text)

Requires 7.0:1

PASS

What is a Color Contrast Checker?

A color contrast checker is an essential accessibility tool that measures the contrast ratio between foreground (text) and background colors to ensure readability and compliance with web accessibility standards. Color contrast is crucial for web accessibility, ensuring that text is readable for everyone, including people with visual impairments, color blindness, or low vision. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set standards for minimum contrast ratios to ensure content is accessible to all users.

Poor color contrast doesn't just affect users with disabilities—it impacts readability for everyone, especially in bright sunlight, on low-quality displays, or when viewing content on mobile devices. Good contrast improves user experience and ensures your content is accessible to the widest possible audience. Our free color contrast checker helps you verify that your color combinations meet WCAG AA and AAA accessibility standards.

Why Use Our Free Color Contrast Checker?

WCAG Compliance

Verify your colors meet WCAG AA (minimum) and AAA (enhanced) accessibility standards. Get instant feedback on whether your color combinations pass or fail accessibility requirements.

Real-Time Testing

Test color combinations instantly as you adjust colors. See contrast ratios update in real-time, making it easy to find accessible color combinations quickly.

Visual Preview

See how your color combinations look visually before implementing. Preview text on backgrounds to ensure readability and visual appeal.

Common Use Cases for Color Contrast Checker

For Web Development

Website Accessibility
Ensure your website meets WCAG accessibility standards. Check text-background combinations for headings, body text, links, and buttons to ensure legal compliance.
UI Component Design
Test contrast for buttons, form inputs, navigation menus, and other UI elements. Ensure all interactive elements meet accessibility requirements.
Brand Color Validation
Verify that brand colors work together for accessible designs. Test brand color combinations to ensure they meet accessibility standards while maintaining brand identity.

For Design & Compliance

Legal Compliance
Meet ADA and Section 508 requirements for accessibility. Ensure your designs comply with accessibility laws and reduce legal risk.
Email Design
Check contrast for email templates and newsletters. Ensure text is readable in email clients and meets accessibility standards for email marketing.
Mobile App Design
Test color contrast for mobile applications. Ensure text is readable on mobile devices in various lighting conditions and screen types.

How Color Contrast Checking Works

Select Background Color

Choose or enter the background color using the color picker or hex code input. This is the color that text will appear on.

Select Foreground Color

Choose or enter the foreground (text) color that will appear on the background. This is typically your text color.

View Contrast Ratio

Instantly see the calculated contrast ratio displayed as a number (e.g., 4.5:1). The checker shows whether it meets WCAG AA and AAA standards for both normal and large text.

Check Compliance Status

See visual indicators showing if your color combination passes WCAG AA (minimum) or AAA (enhanced) standards. The checker provides clear pass/fail feedback.

Understanding Color Contrast and Accessibility

Color contrast is crucial for web accessibility. It ensures that text is readable for everyone, including people with visual impairments, color blindness, or low vision. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set standards for minimum contrast ratios to ensure content is accessible to all users.

WCAG AA Standards (Minimum)

Normal Text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio required
Text smaller than 18pt or 14pt bold
Large Text: 3:1 contrast ratio required
Text 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold
UI Components: 3:1 for interactive elements
Buttons, form controls, icons

WCAG AAA Standards (Enhanced)

Normal Text: 7:1 contrast ratio required
Higher standard for better accessibility
Large Text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio required
Same as AA normal text standard
Best Practice: Aim for AAA when possible
Maximum accessibility and readability

Contrast Ratio Examples

Excellent Contrast (AAA)7:1 or higher

Black text on white background (21:1) - Maximum readability

Good Contrast (AA)4.5:1 - 6.9:1

Dark gray on light background - Meets minimum standards

Poor Contrast (Fail)Below 4.5:1

Light gray on white - Difficult to read, fails WCAG standards

Why Accessibility Matters

• Legal compliance (ADA, Section 508)
• Reach 15% of population with disabilities
• Better SEO and search rankings
• Improved user experience for all
• Reduced legal risk
• Broader audience reach

Common Contrast Mistakes

• Light gray text on white backgrounds
• Yellow text on white (low contrast)
• Similar colors for text and background
• Relying only on color to convey meaning
• Not testing on different displays
• Ignoring mobile device readability

Tips for Better Color Contrast

Test All Color Combinations

Check contrast for all text-background combinations in your design, including headings, body text, links, and buttons.

Consider Different Contexts

Test how colors appear on different devices, in various lighting conditions, and on different screen types (LCD, OLED, etc.).

Use High Contrast by Default

Aim for AAA standards when possible. Higher contrast improves readability for everyone, not just users with disabilities.

Don't Rely on Color Alone

Use icons, patterns, or text labels in addition to color to convey information. This helps users with color blindness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is WCAG contrast ratio?

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) contrast ratio measures the difference in luminance between text and background colors. AA standard requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. AAA standard requires 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. Higher ratios mean better accessibility.

Why is color contrast important for accessibility?

Color contrast ensures text is readable for people with visual impairments, including color blindness and low vision. Poor contrast makes content inaccessible to many users and violates accessibility standards. Good contrast improves readability for all users, not just those with disabilities.

What contrast ratio do I need?

For WCAG AA compliance: 4.5:1 for normal text (under 18pt or 14pt bold), 3:1 for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold). For AAA compliance: 7:1 for normal text, 4.5:1 for large text. Our checker shows if your colors meet these standards and provides real-time feedback.

What is considered large text?

Large text is defined as 18pt (24px) or larger regular text, or 14pt (18.5px) or larger bold text. Large text requires lower contrast ratios (3:1 for AA, 4.5:1 for AAA) because it's easier to read than smaller text.

How do I improve contrast if my colors fail?

To improve contrast, darken dark colors or lighten light colors. Increase the difference between foreground and background luminance. You can adjust colors using our color picker until you achieve the required contrast ratio. Sometimes small adjustments make a big difference.

Is this contrast checker free to use?

Yes, our color contrast checker is completely free to use with no limits or sign-ups required. Check unlimited color combinations for accessibility compliance. Essential tool for creating inclusive web designs.