Tipografía accesible: 7 consejos prácticos para cumplir con WCAG y mejorar la legibilidad

Introduction

Typography plays a pivotal role in digital accessibility and user experience. Accessible typography ensures that everyone—including people with visual impairments or reading difficulties—can read, understand, and interact with your website. Adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) not only enhances usability for all users but also supports legal compliance and brand reputation. This guide presents seven practical tips for implementing accessible typography that’s both compliant and reader-friendly.

1. Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast

WCAG Requirement:Text and background color combinations must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

Actionable Tip:Use online tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker to verify your color pairings.Avoid light gray text on white or low-contrast color combinations.

2. Choose Readable, Legible Fonts

Best Practices:

• Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Verdana) for body text—these are generally easier to read on screens.

• Avoid overly decorative or script fonts for large bodies of content.

• Stick to a maximum of 2–3 typefaces to maintain clarity and cohesion.

3. Set an Appropriate Font Size

WCAG Recommendation:Body text should be at least 16px (or equivalent in em/rem units) for comfortable reading on all devices.

Actionable Tip:

• Make sure users can zoom text to 200% without loss of content or functionality.

• Use relative units (em, rem) for scalable, responsive typography.

4. Maintain Adequate Line Spacing and Letter Spacing

WCAG 1.4.12 (Text Spacing):

• Line height (line spacing): at least 1.5x the font size

• Letter spacing (tracking): at least 0.12x the font size

• Word spacing: at least 0.16x the font size

Actionable Tip:Set these in your CSS:

body {

line-height: 1.5;

letter-spacing: 0.02em;

word-spacing: 0.16em;

}

5. Use Hierarchical Heading Structure

• Structure content with headings (<h1>, <h2>, <h3>, etc.) to support screen readers and assistive technologies.

• Headings should be descriptive, concise, and appear in logical order.

• Never use headings solely for visual styling.

6. Avoid All-Caps and Excessive Text Styling

• All-caps text can be harder to read, especially for users with dyslexia or cognitive disabilities.

• Avoid underlining non-links (it may confuse users).

• Use bold and italics sparingly to emphasize important content only.

7. Provide Clear Focus States and Keyboard Accessibility

• Ensure text links, buttons, and interactive elements have visible focus indicators for keyboard users.

• Use clear, descriptive link text (avoid “click here”).

• Make sure tab order follows a logical reading flow.

Quick Reference Table

Conclusion

Accessible typography is essential for building inclusive digital experiences. By following these seven actionable tips, you ensure your website meets WCAG standards, improves readability, and welcomes all users—regardless of ability.

References

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2

• WebAIM, 2024. Contrast and Accessibility Resources

• Nielsen Norman Group, 2024. Typography and Accessibility Best Practices