WCAG/1-perceivable/1.4.5-images-of-text.md

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1.4.5 Images of Text

• Level: AA
• Guideline: 1.4 Distinguishable
• Principle: 1 Perceivable

What it is

If the technologies being used can achieve the visual presentation, text is used to convey information rather than images of text except for the following:

• Customizable: The image of text can be visually customized to the user's requirements;
• Essential: A particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.

How to test

• Check: The image of text can be visually customized to the user's requirements;
• Check: A particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.
• Use the sufficient techniques below as acceptable methods when applicable.

Sufficient techniques (W3C)

• C22: Using CSS to control visual presentation of text
• C30: Using CSS to replace text with images of text and providing user interface controls to switch
• G140: Separating information and structure from presentation to enable different presentations
• PDF7: Performing OCR on a scanned PDF document to provide actual text

Advisory techniques (W3C)

• C12: Using percent for font sizes
• C13: Using named font sizes
• C14: Using em units for font sizes
• C8: Using CSS letter-spacing to control spacing within a word
• C6: Positioning content based on structural markup

Notes

• Note: Logotypes (text that is part of a logo or brand name) are considered essential.

Resources

• WCAG 2.2 SC: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#images-of-text
• Understanding: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/images-of-text.html
• Quick reference: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/?versions=2.2#images-of-text

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