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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For WCAG 2.2 Level AA, use a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for ordinary text and 3:1 for large text. Then check meaningful controls and graphics separately, and make sure color is never the only clue for a link, status, or other meaning. A contrast checker can test color pairs, but it cannot certify a whole site.
What contrast ratio do website colors need?
WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.3 sets a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text at Level AA. W3C defines large text as at least 18 point regular or 14 point bold. These are conformance thresholds, not guarantees that every person will find text comfortable to read. See W3C’s explanation of Contrast (Minimum).
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The ratio concerns the foreground text color and the background behind it as they appear together. A vivid hue does not automatically provide strong contrast: the calculation depends on relative luminance, so two colors that look different in hue can still be too similar in lightness.
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The threshold is strict. W3C states that a computed ratio of 4.499:1 does not meet 4.5:1. Aim a little above the minimum when choosing design tokens so small palette or rendering changes are less likely to push a passing pair below the boundary; the required threshold itself does not change.
#1 Best Overall
- Includes ColorChecker Classic 24 patch target for custom camera profiles, White Balance target for custom in-camera white balance, and two video targets for use in-camera or in post-production video editing software
- An essential tool for any user that requires accurate color control when working in different lighting situations, mixed lighting conditions when capturing still or moving images
- Perfect for matching multiple cameras ensuring a similar color rendition
- Included software Camera Calibration software for photo users offers DNG or ICC custom camera profiles for raw images
- Durable portable protective case adjusts to accommodate multiple positions so you can easily incorporate targets into any scene. Also includes a handy lanyard, so your Passport is always ready for action - redesigned for product identification and custom labeling.
How to judge large text in a web design
Do not decide from visual prominence alone. W3C’s definition is in points, while CSS designs commonly specify font sizes in pixels. Assess the text as rendered and account for its size and weight; a large-looking heading does not qualify automatically. Thin or unusual fonts can also appear fainter than their underlying color ratio suggests, so review the actual typeface and context.
How to check a color pair
- Choose the colors that actually meet. Identify a foreground/background pair from the real design, such as body text on a card or a button label on its fill. Test the intended size and weight.
- Check the text threshold. Use 4.5:1 for normal text or 3:1 for text that meets the large-text definition. If the pair fails, adjust either color and check again.
- Test the rendered page. A checker can sample a page or colors on screen, but verify the actual content and its backgrounds rather than assuming design-token values cover every case.
- Review non-text information and states. Check applicable control boundaries, state indicators, and meaningful parts of graphics or diagrams against the separate non-text guidance below.
- Check color’s role in communication. Add a cue beyond color for links, errors, success states, chart categories, and other meaningful distinctions.
- Repeat for themes and interactions. Recheck after applying dark or alternate themes and hover, keyboard-focus, and disabled-state styles.
Use a contrast checker
WebAIM’s Contrast Checker accepts foreground and background colors and reports results for normal text, large text, and graphical objects or interface components. Its page describes color-entry controls, an eyedropper for sampling on-screen colors, a bookmarklet for checking page content, and a basic API. Section508.gov also explains how to use a checker to adjust and retest colors in its guide to making color usage accessible.
Rank #2
- SPECIFICATIONS: 24 patch color reference target designed for photo and video workflows, supports white balance, exposure evaluation, and color grading, 8 x 11.5 inch chart size, engineered for consistent color reproduction under varied lighting, ideal for Camera profiling and calibration use.
- ACCURATE COLOR CONTROL: 24 scientifically formulated color patches provide a consistent reference for correcting color casts and maintaining true to life results, helping photographers and filmmakers achieve dependable accuracy across different lighting conditions and camera systems.
- WHITE BALANCE REFERENCE: Capture the target under the same light as your subject to set neutral balance and exposure with confidence, reducing trial and error corrections and improving consistency across a full shoot or production day.
- PROFILE CREATION READY: Supports creation of custom DNG and ICC camera profiles when used with Calibrite PROFILER software, helping streamline editing workflows and maintain predictable color rendering for specific camera, lens, and lighting combinations.
- WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY: Provides a reliable point of reference for global corrections and color grading decisions, saving time in post production while improving consistency for multi camera shoots, commercial work, and color critical deliverables.
A pair-level result is not a complete accessibility audit. It does not establish that the whole site meets WCAG or address other requirements such as text alternatives, keyboard operation, and focus visibility.
Check controls and graphics separately
Text contrast is not the only color check. WCAG Success Criterion 1.4.11 covers applicable non-text contrast, including user-interface components and graphical objects. The minimum is 3:1 for relevant comparisons. Whether a particular visual needs to meet the criterion depends on the information it conveys; focus on the parts people need to identify a control or understand a graphic. W3C explains the scope in Understanding Non-text Contrast.
Rank #3
- 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬, 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗟: Ensure accurate, consistent color from one shot to another, across different cameras, lenses, and lighting environments, plus capture every detail with optimal RAW process in- batch processing
- 𝗕𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗬, 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘-𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗛: It features 24 spectrally engineered color targets and a grey face target, all near/within the sRGB gamut to ensure compatibility with a wide range of devices. Perfect for visual comparisons and custom white balance adjustments.
- 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗦: Easy alignment of multiple camera systems, including DSLR, Smartphones, drones and Action Cams - perfect for event photography.
- 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗪: Taking a test photo with your Spyder Checkr 24 allows you to capture scene light color and intensity data, so you can color-calibrate your camera with software based HSL-presets, streamlining post-production workflow
- 𝗢𝗡-𝗧𝗛𝗘-𝗚𝗢-𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: Its compact size and protective sleeve make Spyder Checkr 24 a take-with-you-everywhere photo tool – perfect for location shoots, changing light conditions, and multiple camera and lens usage – wherever your camera takes you!
- Check visible control boundaries or indicators when people need them to identify a control or state.
- Check meaningful parts of diagrams and graphics, rather than treating every decorative pixel as information.
- Review states such as selected, expanded, or focused wherever visual indicators communicate those states.
SC 1.4.3 applies to text; similar concerns for relevant non-text content are handled separately. Do not assume a passing paragraph color also makes a button outline, icon, or chart readable.
Do not make color the only cue
Color alone should not carry meaning or identify a link. A red error beside a green success indicator, for example, needs another usable distinction, such as a text label, icon shape, pattern, or explicit message. W3C describes this principle in Understanding Use of Color.
Rank #4
- SPECIFICATIONS: Video color target measuring 8 x 11.5 inch with vectorscope and waveform optimized layout including saturated and desaturated chromatic chips, skin tone row, large gray level steps, linear grayscale, illumination check chips, and reverse side spectrally neutral white balance target.
- FASTER CAMERA MATCHING: Designed to help match multiple cameras for consistent color rendition, improving continuity across angles and reducing time spent correcting differences during editing and final grading.
- VECTORSCOPE READY COLORS: Saturated and desaturated chromatic chips align with vectorscope axes for fast color balance evaluation, helping achieve accurate reproduction under mixed or changing lighting environments.
- EXPOSURE AND CONTRAST CONTROL: Large gray steps support waveform, zebras, and false color tools, allowing accurate mid tone placement and consistent exposure matching across cameras and scenes.
- NEUTRAL WHITE BALANCE SIDE: Reverse white balance target provides a spectrally neutral reference for creating in camera white balance, helping footage start at a consistent neutral point across mixed lighting conditions.
Make links recognizable
WebAIM recommends underlining links by default. If links in a paragraph are distinguished from surrounding text by color alone, WebAIM’s link guidance calls for at least 3:1 contrast between the link color and surrounding text, as well as a non-color indicator on hover and keyboard focus. This is a link-to-neighboring-text comparison; it is separate from the link text’s contrast against its background. See the WebAIM Link Contrast Checker.
Choose between candidate palettes
Compare palettes against the actual design constraints instead of choosing by hue or contrast score alone. For each candidate, check:
Best Value
- 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧: Essential, pocket-sized color reference tool with an easy-grip ergonomic case design for photographers and image creators.
- 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗪: Automatically create HSL presets to use with photo editing software such as Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera RAW, or Hasselblad Phocus using Spyder Checkr software.
- 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗥, 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥: Delivering the richest, ultra-matte colors and deepest black for outstandingly accurate, truer color calibration in any lighting condition
- 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗘 - 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦: 4 interchangeable cards feature more colors for all types of photography: expanded skin tones for portraits; large targets for easy white/grey balancing; 12-step grey scale for perfect exposure and instant dynamic range check.
- 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦: Comprehensive collection of color targets includes 62 colors: 24 hues + 6 skin tones; 24 grey scales; 2 large grey scales; 3 white adjustments and 3 black adjustments.
- Text contrast against the background at the intended size and weight.
- Contrast of meaningful graphic details and control indicators.
- Whether links and states remain distinguishable without color.
- Whether the result still fits the design and remains comfortable in its rendered type and layout.
WCAG conformance narrows the choices; two palettes that pass are not necessarily equally comfortable or aesthetically equivalent.
Exceptions are narrow, not a blanket pass
SC 1.4.3 includes exceptions for inactive interface components, pure decoration, text that is not visible to anyone, text in an image with significant other visual content, and logotype text. Apply an exception only to the specific content it covers. It does not mean that all branding or an interactive logo can be left low contrast, nor does it exempt meaningful controls from applicable non-text checks. W3C details the exceptions in its SC 1.4.3 guidance.
Or skip the browser setup
For a rendered page you need to inspect, a screenshot can make the actual colors and layout easier to review. ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. Its clean-shot options accept cookie or consent banners as a visitor and remove more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and responses identify the page verdict and billing status. AI agents can use its MCP server tools to take screenshots, get page information, or capture PDFs. This helps inspect a page, but does not replace a contrast check or accessibility audit.
One GET request can save a screenshot; the following cURL example uses the documented API endpoint and saves a WebP file. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo includes 1,000 shots per month on its free plan with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Learn about ScreenshotNeo or sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot common contrast-checking problems
- The ratio passes but text still looks faint: Review the actual font, weight, and rendered context. Thin or unusual fonts can appear fainter even when the color ratio meets the threshold.
- A heading was treated as large text because it looked prominent: Verify that it meets W3C’s size-and-weight definition rather than relying on appearance.
- A barely failing ratio was rounded up: Treat the unrounded result as authoritative; a result below the threshold fails.
- Body text passes but controls or charts are unclear: Run the applicable non-text contrast review for control indicators and meaningful graphic parts.
- A link or status is hard to identify without its color: Add an underline, label, shape, pattern, or another visible cue; do not rely on the text-background ratio alone.
- A checker reports a passing pair and the site is called accessible: Limit that conclusion to the tested pair. Review other content and accessibility requirements separately.
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