Skip to contentSkip to content

Mechanics module WCAG 1.4.3 Level AA

Contrast scanner

Live scan in the frontend: checks all text/background pairs against AA (4.5:1) or AAA (7:1).

What it does

Function in one sentence — and in three sentences

Poor text contrast is by far the most common WCAG problem on German websites. Gray text on a white background, white text on a light photo – it looks "modern," but is barely legible for many users.

The contrast scanner checks each text component live in the frontend against the calculated background — even behind semi-transparent overlays and on images.

This is how the plugin implements it.

Technical measures

  • WCAG contrast formula (relative luminance according to W3C specification).
  • Background Resolution: even with complex stacks (e.g. white text on a semi-transparent overlay over a photo) the true effective contrast is calculated.
  • Issue list in the backend: all areas with contrast < 4.5:1 (AA) or < 7:1 (AAA), grouped per page.
  • selector path per issue, so you can fix it directly in the CSS.
  • Optional banner in the frontend (only for logged-in admins) while the site is running.
In the plugin backend

You can find these settings in the module tab.

  • Target level: AA (4.5:1) or AAA (7:1)
  • Scan frequency: on every page load / on-demand only / daily via cron
  • Ignore selectors (e.g., decorative captions, irrelevant to reading flow)
  • Live banner for admins: on / off
  • Threshold for issue list: only major violations / all violations

Path in Admin: WP-Admin → Accessibility → Modules → Contrast Scanner

When do you need the module?

Use case

Recommended for every page before an audit. Provides the issue list that an expert would otherwise have to manually record — saving audit time and therefore costs.

Can be used together with Color Contrast Fix The following procedure is used: first the scanner finds issues, then the fix repairs them (where possible).

Related modules

That fits together thematically.

  • Color Contrast Fix

    WCAG 1.4.6

    Automatically raises insufficient contrast to AA or AAA level via CSS variable override.

  • Visible focus

    WCAG 2.4.11

    Provides a strong, always visible focus ring on all focusable elements — with AAA contrast.

  • AI Audit Assistant

    WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA

    Content-based WCAG issue detection beyond classic scanners — tonality, clarity, link sense, microcopy.

Activate the module for your site?

In the initial 15-minute consultation, we will clarify whether the module is relevant for your theme and content type — and what the setup looks like.

15-minute initial consultation
View all modules

Easy language