Images of Text (No Exception)
Summary:
WCAG 1.4.9, "Images of Text (No Exception)," takes a strict stance on the use of images to display text. This guideline emphasizes that text should be presented in an actual text format, not as an image, to ensure maximum accessibility, particularly for screen reader users and those who need to customize text display for readability.
What:
This criterion is an extension of 1.4.5 but with a stricter approach. It states that text should not be presented as an image unless absolutely necessary for a specific purpose or when a particular presentation of text is essential, such as in logos or brand names.
Why:
Images of text are often inaccessible to screen readers and cannot be resized, adjusted for contrast, or reflowed like normal text. This guideline aims to eliminate these barriers, ensuring that all users, regardless of their visual or technological capabilities, can access and understand the content.
Examples and Scenarios:
- Web Banners: Avoid using text within images for banners. Instead, use HTML and CSS to overlay text on graphics.
- Infographics: Provide a text alternative or an accessible version of the information conveyed in infographics.
- Product Branding: The use of text as images is acceptable for logos and specific branding elements where the text is integral to the design.
How to Comply:
- Websites: Implement live text with CSS styling for design elements instead of embedding text in images.
- Mobile Apps: Use dynamic, adjustable text for content and avoid text in images for informational purposes.
- Software Applications: Ensure all informational text is rendered in a selectable, resizable format, not as a fixed image.
Exceptions:
- Essential Images of Text: Where the text is essential for information or branding, such as logos or legally required watermarks, the use of images of text is permissible.
- Complex Typography: In cases where a specific type of typography is essential for conveying information or for artistic purposes, text in images may be used.