# WCAG 2.2 – 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)

- Level: AA
- Principle: 1 Perceivable
- Guideline: 1.4 Distinguishable
- Introduced in: WCAG 2.0

## What the rule requires

Text stands out clearly from its background: at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (24 px and up, or 18.66 px bold).

## How to get it right

Check every colour pair with a contrast checker. Light grey on white (#999 on #fff = 2.8:1) fails, #595959 on white (7:1) passes.

## Who benefits

- People with low vision
- People with colour vision deficiency
- Everyone

## Sources

- [This rule on wcag.dehl.net](https://wcag.dehl.net/en/wcag/1-4-3/)
- [Interactive demo](https://wcag.dehl.net/en/demos/#contrast)
- [Official W3C explanation](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/contrast-minimum)
- [Techniques (WCAG Quick Reference)](https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/#contrast-minimum)

_Plain-language explanation. Only the original W3C text is normative._