- Success Criterion 1.4.12
- Conformance level AA
- W3C reference F104
Text That Clips or Overlaps Under User Text-Spacing Settings
1.4.12 — Text Spacing
Scenario
Setting
A used-car marketplace's listing filter
What’s wrong
When a user increases line/letter/word spacing (a common low-vision aid), text gets cut off or overlaps other content.
Example
Open a used-car marketplace's listing filter and this is what you'll see: when a user increases line/letter/word spacing (a common low-vision aid), text gets cut off or overlaps other content.
Why it matters
People with dyslexia or low vision who apply extra text spacing to read. The practical effect on a used-car marketplace's listing filter: they can't perceive the control's boundary or state.
How to test
Apply a text-spacing bookmarklet (line-height 1.5x, paragraph spacing 2x font size, letter-spacing 0.12x, word-spacing 0.16x) site-wide and scan every page for clipped or overlapping text.
How to fix
Use flexible containers (no fixed heights/overflow clipping) so spaced text stays visible.
Outcome
That one change on a used-car marketplace's listing filter means they read the text clearly against its background.
Who is affected
People with dyslexia or low vision who apply extra text spacing to read.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
- Technique Related technique (opens in a new tab)
Related scenarios
- Fixed-Height Container Clipping Text at Wider Line Spacing
- Text Overlapping the Section Below After Spacing Changes
- Author CSS Blocking the User’s Own Text-Spacing Stylesheet
- Button Label That Vanishes Under Increased Text Spacing
- Tooltip or Dropdown That Truncates Under Text-Spacing Overrides
- JavaScript Truncation That Deletes Content on Text-Spacing Change