1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA) — WCAG 2.1
WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA): what it requires, a common e-commerce accessibility failure, and how to fix it.
This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
WCAG 2.1 guidelines hub → Perceivable → 1.4.5 Images of Text
1.4.5 Images of Text (Level AA)
What it requires: Use real text, not an image of text, whenever the same visual presentation is achievable with actual text — because images of text can’t be resized, recolored, or read by a screen reader the same way. Logos and cases where a specific presentation is essential are exempt.
Common failure: A “20% OFF TODAY ONLY” promotional banner is a single flattened JPEG with the text baked in, instead of live HTML text over a background image.
Fix it: Rebuild text-heavy promotional graphics as real HTML text styled with CSS (web fonts can usually match the design), reserving actual images of text for logos or cases where the specific rendering genuinely matters.
In 1.4 Distinguishable: ← 1.4.4 Resize Text · 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced) →
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This is educational technical reference content, not legal advice. It explains what WCAG 2.1 requires and how to meet it — not whether a specific site carries legal risk. Compliance with WCAG, the ADA, or any other accessibility law or standard is a legal determination; consult qualified counsel for legal risk assessment.
This page was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a person for accuracy before publication.