Customizable Text

Web accessibility is essential for people with disabilities and useful for all. Learn about the impact of accessibility and the benefits for everyone in a variety of situations.

Video on Customizable Text

This video information is available as a Text Transcript with Description of Visuals below.

What is “Customizable Text”?

Some users need to be able to change the way text is displayed so that they can read the text. This includes changing the size, spacing, font, color, and other text properties. When users change these properties, no information or functionality should be lost, and the text should re-flow so users don’t have to scroll horizontally to read sentences. Text customization is more than the zoom functionality, which only changes the text size.

Who depends on this feature?

People with low vision who are not using screen magnification software.
People with some forms of dyslexia and other cognitive and learning disabilities who need a particular presentation of text to read it.

What are the additional benefits?

Content is more adaptable to smaller and larger screen sizes.
Content is more adaptable to personal preferences and comfort.
Content is more adaptable when translated, since words and sentences are different lengths in different languages.

What needs to happen for this to work?

Content must be properly designed and coded so that it can adapt to different customization settings. This includes using relative rather than absolute units for the size of fonts, controls, and other objects. Applications should use the operating system and web browser text settings. Websites and applications could also provide information to help users change their settings. Web browsers and other web tools need to provide users with text customization functionality.

Learn more

Accessibility Principle:
- Content can be presented in different ways
Getting Started:
- Write code that adapts to the user’s technology
Easy Check:
- Resize text
User Story:
- Mr. Yunus, Retiree with low vision, hand tremor, and mild short-term memory loss
- Ms. Olsen, Classroom student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG Overview):
- Success Criteria relating to “text”
User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG Overview):
User Needs:
- Accessibility Requirements for People with Low Vision

Text Transcript with Description of Visuals

Audio	Visual
Web Accessibility Perspectives: Customizable Text	Web Accessibility Perspectives: Customizable Text
What's right for you doesn't necessarily work for the next person.	Toast with different levels of darkness.
Customization isn't always just the question of preference though. Sometimes it's a necessity.	Two men are sitting with a toaster between them. One of the men turns the toaster dial.
Being able to adjust the text is crucial for people with low vision and dyslexia.	A woman puts on glasses to read a website on her laptop. The woman is squinting at the website with small text and an unusual font.
Properly coded websites and applications allow the text to be customized. For example, to change its size, spacing, font, and colors without loss of functions or clarity.	The woman uses the web browsers settings to adjust the text size and style. It appears more legible and the woman is relieved.
Web accessibility: Essential for some, useful for all.	Cutback to the two men: One of the men takes a piece of toast out of the toaster.
Visit w3.org/WAI/perspectives for more information on Customizable Text	Visit w3.org/WAI/perspectives for more information on Customizable Text. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative logo