1.4.4 – Resize Text (Level AA)

Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content or function.

Introduction

Some users with visual impairments need to resize text to understand it fully.

To help these users, your website should allow for up to a 200% resize of text without dropping any content or functions. This should be accomplished in a browser and therefore not require any assistive technology.

How to Pass

Users can resize text content in their web browser up to 200% without loss of meaning or function.

Exceptions

• Images of text (but don’t use images of text, because they don’t resize well)
• Captions

Tips

As all modern browsers allow for resizing text, a website based on good HTML and CSS should comply.

If your website doesn’t resize correctly to at least 200% in a browser, add a feature that enables users to resize text (by CSS) based on three or four predetermined options, including 200%.

Resizing text is different to zooming in (which enlarges text, images and layout without preserving formatting).

Check your website by resizing to 200% in a variety of browsers.

Make sure your resized text doesn’t require the user to scroll horizontally and you fulfil part of 1.4.8 – Visual Presentation for Level AAA.

See Also

• Guideline 1.4.5 – Images of Text
• Guideline 1.4.8 – Visual Presentation
• Guideline 1.4.9 – Images of Text (No Exception)
• Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.4 (W3C)