Best Text Color For Any Background
Free color contrast finder to analyze accessibility and find the perfect text colors for your designs. Test color combinations and ensure WCAG compliance.
Text Color Examples
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
The quick brown fox
How to Use This Tool
Our tool helps you find and validate accessible text colors for any background color. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to use it effectively:
1. Choose Your Colors
Background Color
Enter a hex color code or use the color picker to select your background color. You'll instantly see suggested text colors ranked by accessibility.
Text Color
Choose from our suggested text colors, ranked by accessibility grade and contrast ratio. Each suggestion includes a live preview.
2. Understand the Results
Accessibility Grades
- A+ to B: Passes WCAG AA standards
- F: Does not meet accessibility requirements
- Grades are based on contrast ratios
Customize Options
- Toggle to show only colorful options
- Adjust color difference to see more or fewer variations
- Click hex codes to copy colors
Understanding WCAG Compliance
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are developed through the W3C process in cooperation with individuals and organizations around the world. WCAG documents explain how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
Key Aspects of WCAG
Core Principles (POUR)
- Perceivable: Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
- Operable: User interface components must be operable
- Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable
- Robust: Content must be robust enough to work with current and future tools
Conformance Levels
- Level A: Minimum level of accessibility
- Level AA: Deals with biggest barriers (most common target)
- Level AAA: Highest level of accessibility
Level AA Requirements
Most digital accessibility policies and laws around the world refer to WCAG Level AA as the minimum requirement to follow.
- Normal text: minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio
- Large text: minimum 3:1 contrast ratio
- UI components and graphics: minimum 3:1
Level AAA Requirements
- Normal text: minimum 7:1 contrast ratio
- Large text: minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio
- No requirements for UI components
Our Grading System
Given most digital accessibility policies and laws around the world refer to WCAG Level AA as the minimum requirement to follow, our grading system was designed to reflect this. All passing scores minimally meet WCAG AA requirements.
Passing Grades (Meets WCAG AA Standards)
Exceptional (10:1 or higher)
Far exceeds all accessibility standards
Excellent (7:1 to 9.99:1)
Meets AAA standards
Very Good (5.5:1 to 6.99:1)
Exceeds AA standards significantly
Good (4.5:1 to 5.49:1)
Meets minimum AA standards
Failing Grades (Does Not Meet WCAG AA Standards)
Insufficient (Below 4.5:1)
Fails WCAG AA requirements
Important Note About AA Requirements
To pass WCAG AA standards, a color combination must meet BOTH requirements: • Normal text must be at least 4.5:1 • Large text must be at least 3:1
The Importance of Web Accessibility
Business Impact
- Over 1 billion people worldwide have some form of disability (WHO, 2022)
- Potential market size of $13 trillion in disposable income (Forbes, 2023)
- Improved SEO and broader market reach
- Enhanced brand reputation and social responsibility
Legal Requirements
Web accessibility is not just good practice—it's often a legal requirement. Several laws mandate digital accessibility:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
- European Accessibility Act
- Various state and local regulations
Notable Legal Cases
Domino's Pizza v. Robles (2019) - Supreme Court Docket
The Supreme Court upheld a ruling that Domino's website must be accessible to screen readers. This landmark case established that the ADA applies to websites and mobile apps.
Gil v. Winn-Dixie (2017) - Case Details
A federal court ruled that Winn-Dixie's website violated the ADA by being inaccessible to visually impaired users. The company was required to make its website WCAG compliant.
Harvard/MIT Settlement (2020) - Settlement Agreement
Both universities agreed to make their online educational content accessible, including proper captions for deaf users. The settlement highlighted the importance of accessibility in educational technology.
Risk of Non-Compliance
- Legal fees and settlements often exceeding $100,000
- Mandatory remediation costs
- Damage to brand reputation
- Lost business opportunities
- Over 3,500 web accessibility lawsuits filed in 2020 (Source)
Proactive Compliance is Key
Implementing accessibility features from the start is significantly more cost-effective than retrofitting existing websites or dealing with legal issues. Tools like our contrast checker help ensure your design choices meet accessibility standards from the beginning.