Success Criterion 1.4.11
Conformance level AA

Ghost Button on a Photo With Contrast Below the Minimum

1.4.11 — Non-text Contrast

Scenario

Setting

A survey tool's question builder

What’s wrong

Ghost/outline buttons on hero images falling below 3:1.

Example

border: 1px solid #dcdcdc; /* icon outline, ~1.2:1 against white */

Why it matters

Low-vision and color-blind people who need to perceive controls and meaningful graphics.

How to test

Measure a ghost/outline button's border against the hero image or photo behind it at its lowest-contrast point: 3:1 minimum.

How to fix

The visual element (border, icon, indicator, state marker) must have at least 3:1 contrast against adjacent colors in every state. border: 1px solid #767676; /* ~4.5:1 */ Icons, borders, and other non-text UI elements need at least 3:1 contrast to stay visible.

Outcome

On a survey tool's question builder, this barrier is gone for low-vision and color-blind people who need to perceive controls and meaningful graphics — they can finish what they came here to do.

Who is affected