Scenario
You open a document, email or web page, but something does not look quite right. The text blends into the background, links are difficult to identify, or buttons do not stand out from the surrounding content.
Finding the information you need takes more effort than it should. You may need to zoom in, move closer to the screen, re-read sections several times, or ask someone else to help you identify what is clickable.
What is getting in the way?
Some content can be difficult to use when there is not enough contrast between text and background colours, or when colour is the only way information is communicated. For example, links may only be shown in a different colour, buttons may not look interactive, or important messages may rely on colour alone to convey meaning.
Low colour contrast can make text hard to read. For example, light grey text on a white background may be difficult to see clearly.
This can affect people who:
- have low vision
- have colour vision deficiency
- experience migraines
- have dyslexia
- are using a screen in bright light
- zoom in or use high-contrast settings
- view content on a smaller screen
It can also cause problems when colour is the only way information is shown. For example, if overdue items are marked in red only, some people may miss that information completely.
Tools that can help
Colour and contrast accessibility settings can change how content is displayed, making it easier to distinguish text, links, buttons and other important information. Adjusting colours and contrast can make digital content clearer, easier to understand, and more comfortable to use throughout the day.
- High contrast mode and colour filters – helpful for different types of colour vision deficiency
- Magnifier and Zoom settings
- Microsoft Immersive Reader – helps to simplify pages and change colours
- Accessibility checkers in Microsoft Office – to flag low contrast and colour-only meaning
- Contrast checkers (online tools) – to test foreground and background colour combinations
You do not need to try everything. Start with one small change and see what helps.
