Color Contrast Checker ✨

WCAG 2.0/2.1/2.2 Compliant Accessibility Tool

Color Selection

Select the text or foreground element color

Select the background color

Quick Presets

Live Preview

Contrast: 21.00:1
AA ✓ AAA ✓ A+

Normal text sample (16px)

Large text sample (18pt/24px)

Bold text sample (14pt/18.67px bold)

Sample UI Component

Detailed Compliance Results

WCAG Compliance Details

AA Normal Text (4.5:1) PASS
AA Large Text (3:1) PASS
AAA Normal Text (7:1) PASS
AAA Large Text (4.5:1) PASS
UI Components (3:1) PASS

Recommendations & Guidance

Overall Assessment

Your color combination has excellent contrast and meets all accessibility standards.

WCAG Guidelines Explained

AA Level (Minimum):
  • Normal text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio
  • Large text (18pt+/14pt+ bold): 3:1 contrast ratio
  • Required for legal compliance in many regions
AAA Level (Enhanced):
  • Normal text: 7:1 contrast ratio
  • Large text: 4.5:1 contrast ratio
  • Recommended for maximum accessibility

Improvement Tools

Suggestions for Improvement

Color Format Converter

#000000 / #ffffff
rgb(0,0,0) / rgb(255,255,255)
hsl(0,0%,0%) / hsl(0,0%,100%)

Additional Information

Relative Luminance Values

Foreground: 0.00

Background: 1.00

About Our Color Contrast Checker

Our free color contrast checker is a professional-grade tool designed to help web designers, developers, and accessibility specialists ensure their digital products meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards. Built with precision and powered by the latest WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 specifications, this tool provides real-time contrast ratio analysis to help you create accessible, inclusive web experiences.

Accessibility is not just a legal requirement—it's a moral imperative. With over 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities, ensuring your website has proper color contrast makes your content accessible to users with visual impairments, color blindness, and age-related vision changes. Our tool simplifies the testing process, providing instant feedback on whether your color combinations meet AA and AAA compliance levels.

Whether you're designing a new website, auditing an existing one, or simply exploring color combinations, our contrast checker provides the accuracy and insights you need to make informed design decisions that prioritize accessibility.

Key Features

🎯 Real-Time WCAG Compliance Testing

Instantly check if your color combinations meet WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 standards for both AA and AAA compliance levels. Get immediate feedback on normal text, large text, and UI component contrast ratios.

📊 Precise Contrast Calculations

Our tool uses the exact WCAG formula with proper sRGB linearization (0.04045 threshold) and gamma correction to ensure 100% accurate contrast ratio calculations that match official validators.

👁️ Live Preview Interface

See exactly how your colors look together with real text samples at different sizes and weights. Preview buttons, inputs, and UI components to understand the full impact of your color choices.

🎨 Multiple Color Format Support

Work with HEX, RGB, and HSL color formats seamlessly. Our built-in color converter lets you copy values in any format, making it easy to integrate into your workflow.

⚡ Quick Preset Combinations

Start testing immediately with our curated collection of accessible color presets. Use them as-is or as a starting point for your custom color palettes.

💡 Smart Recommendations

Get actionable suggestions for improving contrast ratios when combinations don't meet standards. Learn which level of compliance you've achieved and what's needed for higher levels.

♿ Accessibility-First Design

The tool itself is built with accessibility in mind, featuring proper ARIA labels, keyboard navigation support, and screen reader compatibility.

🆓 Completely Free Forever

No registration, no limits, no hidden fees. Use this professional-grade tool as much as you need, whenever you need it. Accessibility should be accessible to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a color contrast checker?

A color contrast checker is a specialized tool that analyzes the contrast ratio between two colors—typically text (foreground) and background colors. It calculates whether the combination meets WCAG accessibility standards, ensuring your content is readable for all users, including those with visual impairments like color blindness or low vision. The tool measures the luminance difference between colors and expresses it as a ratio (e.g., 4.5:1).

What is WCAG compliance and why does it matter?

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance means meeting international standards developed by the W3C to make web content accessible to people with disabilities. For color contrast, WCAG defines specific minimum ratios: AA level requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, while AAA level requires 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. Compliance is often legally required (ADA, Section 508, European Accessibility Act) and ensures your website is usable by everyone.

What contrast ratio should I aim for in my designs?

For legal compliance and good accessibility practice, always aim for at least WCAG AA standards: a minimum 4.5:1 ratio for normal text (under 18pt or 14pt bold) and 3:1 for large text. For enhanced accessibility and to accommodate more users with vision impairments, target WCAG AAA standards: 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. UI components like buttons and form fields should meet a 3:1 ratio against adjacent colors.

Is this color contrast checker free to use?

Yes, this color contrast checker is completely free to use with no limitations. You can test unlimited color combinations, access all features, and use it for personal or commercial projects without any registration, subscription, or payment. We believe accessibility tools should be accessible to everyone.

How accurate is this contrast checker?

Our color contrast checker uses the exact WCAG algorithm with proper sRGB linearization (using the correct 0.04045 threshold, not 0.03928) and gamma correction with a 2.4 exponent. This ensures 100% accurate calculations that match official WCAG validators. The tool follows the precise relative luminance formula specified in WCAG 2.0/2.1/2.2 documentation.

What's the difference between WCAG AA and AAA?

WCAG AA is the minimum legal standard required by most accessibility laws and regulations. It requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. WCAG AAA is an enhanced level providing maximum accessibility, requiring 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. While AA is typically the legal requirement, AAA ensures your content is accessible to the widest possible audience, including users with more severe visual impairments.

Can I use this tool for mobile app design?

Absolutely! WCAG standards apply to all digital interfaces, including mobile apps, desktop applications, and web platforms. The same contrast ratios that ensure web accessibility also make mobile apps more usable. Use this tool to test your mobile app color schemes to ensure they're accessible on various screen sizes and lighting conditions.

Does color contrast affect SEO?

While color contrast doesn't directly impact SEO rankings, accessibility is increasingly important to search engines. Google considers user experience signals, and accessible websites tend to have better engagement metrics (lower bounce rates, longer session durations). Additionally, many countries require accessibility compliance, and non-compliant sites may face legal issues. Good contrast also improves readability for all users, which can indirectly benefit SEO through improved user experience.