Free Colour Contrast Checker

Check whether your text and background colours meet WCAG 2.1 AA and AAA contrast requirements. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

Normal text sample (16px)

Large text sample

Contrast ratio: 16.10:1

WCAG pass or fail by level and text size
Requirement Needs Result
AA — normal text4.5:1
AA — large text3:1
AAA — normal text7:1
AAA — large text4.5:1
UI components & graphics3:1

How colour contrast works

Large text means at least 18pt (about 24px), or 14pt (about 18.66px) bold. Normal text is anything smaller. WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; Level AAA raises that to 7:1 and 4.5:1. User-interface elements (like form borders and icons) and meaningful graphics need at least 3:1.

A passing ratio doesn't guarantee a fully accessible design, but failing contrast is one of the most common — and most easily fixed — accessibility barriers. If a colour is part of your brand, A11ytek verifies contrast and recommends adjustments, but we leave final colour decisions to you. See our AODA compliance checklist for the bigger picture.

Want your whole site checked, not just colours?

A11ytek runs full WCAG 2.1 and AODA accessibility audits — automated testing plus expert manual and screen-reader review. Start with a free accessibility report.