Color accessibility helps lower or remove the barrier to entry for those users. Avoid using color as a way to convey your message. Relying on color alone to communicate information causes barriers to access for people. Many individuals with color deficiencies, colorblindness, different cognitive abilities and low vision may not be able to perceive the color differences, and screen readers do not announce colors to non-sighted users. 

Color accessibility is measured against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for contrast and color, standardizing color definitions, minimum contrast ratios by text size, and more.  

When you create a document, please consider your color choice and how you convey the message. Deliver your message in multiple modalities and apply accessible design. 

Below is an example of good color contrast and bad color contrast.

1. Select your text.

2. Go to the Home tab.

3. Click on Font Color.

4. Choose Automatic.

In rare cases where this does not work, you can use the Accessibility Checker tool in Microsoft Word or an external color contrast tool.

Select the link below to watch and listen to the tutorial:

How-to Video for Using Accessible Text Color (00:01:00)

• How to Check Color Contrast with A11Y
• How to Check Color Contrast with Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)
• Color Contrast Checker
• Color-reliant Link Contrast Checker
• Color and Contrast
• WAVE