- Success Criterion 1.4.3
- Conformance level AA
Selected Tab or Item Text Failing the Contrast Minimum
1.4.3 — Contrast (Minimum)
Scenario
Setting
A job board's application form
What’s wrong
Selected/current item text (e.g., active tab white-on-light-blue) failing.
Example
Open a job board's application form and this is what you'll see: selected/current item text (e.g., active tab white-on-light-blue) failing.
Why it matters
Low-vision and older readers, plus anyone viewing a dim or sunlit screen. On a job board's application form, that means they can't perceive the control's boundary or state.
How to test
Measure the currently selected item (active tab, chosen filter) against its own highlighted background — selection styling often drops contrast below default state.
How to fix
The text must meet at least 4.5:1 contrast (3:1 for large text) against its actual background in every state (default, hover, focus, selected).
Outcome
With the fix in place on a job board's application form, they tell the information apart without relying on color.
Who is affected
Low-vision and older readers, plus anyone viewing a dim or sunlit screen.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Text Color Set Without a Matching Background Color
- Text Placed Directly Over a Photo With No Solid Backing
- Body Text Contrast That Falls Below the 4.5:1 Minimum
- Large Heading Text That Still Falls Below 3:1 Contrast
- Placeholder Text With Contrast Too Low to Read Easily
- Text on a Gradient Background Dropping Below Contrast Ratio