CHEAPUNO guide

Do my web fonts meet WCAG contrast requirements for readable text?

Check your web font colors against WCAG standards to fix readability issues that hurt user experience.

CHEAPUNO EditorialSources checked 7 10 月, 2026

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Spotlight

PAGE: https://alison.com/course/web-accessibility-auditing

PROMISE: Check font choices against WCAG standards to fix readability issues

WHO: Frontend developers and designers responsible for implementing WCAG standards

WHYNOW: WCAG 2.2 is the current baseline for many government and enterprise contracts

DESC: This free online course in Web Accessibility Auditing covers the tests involved in ensuring applications meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

BEFORE: Font choices rely on visual guessing rather than data

BEFORE: Contrast failures are found only after users complain

BEFORE: No clear process for verifying text legibility

AFTER: Font choices are validated against specific WCAG criteria

AFTER: Contrast failures are caught via automated scans before launch

AFTER: A repeatable process exists for checking and fixing text contrast

GAIN: A reliable list of automated tools to spot contrast errors

GAIN: Specific strategies for manual testing of visual accessibility

GAIN: Methods to examine and repair code when text fails contrast checks

STEP: You spot low contrast text that hurts legibility || Recognize things to watch out for in web accessibility || Swap weak color pairs for compliant ones during the next design review

STEP: You need to verify if your current font passes audits || List the automated testing tools || Run a scan on your staging site to catch failing pairs early

STEP: You must update code to pass the contrast checks || Outline how to perform code examination and repair || Adjust the CSS hex values to meet the minimum ratio requirements

STEP: You doubt if manual testing covers all user cases || Outline manual testing strategies || Test the page with screen readers and high-contrast modes

NOTFOR: Teams needing legal compliance reports beyond technical fixes

NOTFOR: Beginners who lack basic CSS knowledge for code repair

FACT: Average duration: 1.5-3 Hours (Contains Video)

FACT: CPD-accredited certificate available

FACT: Advanced level

COVERS: Outline the types of disabilities and barriers

COVERS: Recognize things to watch out for in web accessibility

COVERS: Define user testing

COVERS: Outline how to perform code examination and repair

COVERS: List the automated testing tools

COVERS: Outline manual testing strategies

COVERS: Identify the key role of auditing in Web Accessibility

COVERS: Web Development

COVERS: Web Design

COVERS: UI/UX Design

COVERS: Auditing

MODULE: Introduction to Accessibility Auditing || Introduction | Activity: Start Your Web Accessibility Auditing Toolkit

MODULE: Aspects of Web Accessibility Auditing || Aspects of Auditing and Types of Disabilities and Associated Barriers | Things to Watch For | Automated and Manual Web Accessibility Testing | Introduction to User Testing, Code Examination and Repair | ChromeVox Screen Reader

MODULE: WCAG || Introduction to WCAG and the evolution of Web Accessibility | WCAG Principles | WCAG Accessibility Conformance | 10 Key Guidelines and WCAG Web Auditing Review Template | Activity: WCAG Scavenger Hunt

MODULE: Automated Testing Tools || Automated Testing Tools | Colour Contrast Evaluation | Readability Testing | Activity: Compare AChecker and WAVE

MODULE: Manual Testing Strategies || Introduction to Manual Testing Strategies | Code Examination and Repair | Media Review

MODULE: Assistive Technology Testing || Screen Reader Testing | Summary of Available Screen Readers | Other Assistive Technologies

MODULE: User Testing || Involving User Testers | Developing a Test Protocol | Activity: Finding User Testers

MODULE: Web Accessibility Reporting || Informal Reviews | General Audits and more | Tour of an Audit Report

What you are probably seeing

You see small, light gray text on white backgrounds that is hard to read, especially on mobile screens or in sunlight.

Users report difficulty reading button labels and links because the font color blends into the background, forcing them to squint or zoom in.

Why it happens

Typography choices often prioritize aesthetics over accessibility, resulting in low contrast ratios that fail WCAG AA standards.

Brand color palettes are frequently extended to web interfaces without verifying that text shades maintain sufficient contrast against their backgrounds.

What changed recently

Step by step

1. Audit your current site using a browser extension or online tool that calculates WCAG contrast ratios for all text elements.

2. List every instance where text fails the 4.5:1 contrast requirement for normal text and document the current color values.

3. Select darker or lighter shades of your existing brand colors that pass AA standards while preserving the visual identity.

4. Update your CSS variables or style sheets with the new accessible colors and test the changes across all device types.

5. Establish a checklist for future design work to ensure all new font and color combinations are verified for contrast before launch.

Ways to go further

Start here: Web Accessibility Auditing Open the free course on Alison ↗

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