Success criterion 1.4.9 · Level AAA
Images of Text (No Exception)
“Your fancy headline is a picture. When I zoom in, it turns to mush, and I can't change the font or the colors.”
Success criterion 1.4.9 · Level AAA
Images of Text (No Exception)
Images of text are only used for pure decoration or where a particular presentation of text is essential.
Principle 1: Perceivable · Guideline 1.4: Distinguishable
What each role can do
- Product manager
- Set a rule: no text in images, except logos.
- Designer
- Design headings and banners with live text and web fonts.
- Developer
- Replace image-based text with styled HTML text; keep images of text for logotypes only.
- Tester
- Zoom to 400% and switch to custom colors; confirm all text stays sharp and restyles.
Once it is fixed
“Real text at last! I zoomed all the way in and every letter stayed crisp.”
Next criterion: 1.4.10 Reflow