Why this matters
Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of colour vision deficiency. Low-contrast text is also harder to read on older monitors, in bright offices, or when someone has a headache. WCAG 1.4.3 is one of the most frequently failed criteria in eLearning audits — often because brand colours were chosen for aesthetics, not legibility.
Storyline 360 example
A Storyline slide uses light grey text (#AAAAAA) on a white background. It looks clean in the design tool, but the contrast ratio is only 2.3:1 — well below the required 4.5:1.
Rise 360 example
A Rise lesson uses the brand accent colour for body text against a tinted background. The designer thought it looked polished. The contrast ratio is 3.1:1.
How to fix it
- 1Check every text and background combination in your course
- 2Body text needs a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1
- 3Large text (18pt or larger, or 14pt bold) needs at least 3:1
- 4Use a contrast checker — paste in your hex codes and it tells you the ratio
- 5Update low-contrast colours in your Storyline theme or Rise brand settings
Fix in Storyline 360
- 1Select the text element that is failing
- 2Go to Format > Font Color and choose a darker shade
- 3Check the background colour of the slide or shape behind it
- 4Verify the ratio using a tool like the WebAIM Contrast Checker
- 5Update your Storyline theme colours so fixes apply everywhere at once
Fix in Rise 360
- 1Go to Rise Settings > Theme
- 2Update your brand colours to values that pass the contrast check
- 3Look for any blocks where you manually overrode a colour
- 4Use Rise's preview mode to visually spot anything that looks faint or hard to read
Common questions
What contrast ratio does WCAG require?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires 4.5:1 for normal-sized text and 3:1 for large text (18pt regular or 14pt bold and above). Level AAA raises those to 7:1 and 4.5:1.
How do I check contrast in Articulate Storyline?
Storyline does not have a built-in contrast checker. Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker online, or run A11yCheck to automatically detect failures across every slide in your course.
Does colour contrast apply to buttons in Rise 360?
Yes. The text on a button must meet 4.5:1 against the button background. Button borders and icons must meet 3:1 against whatever colour is next to them.
What if our brand colour fails the contrast check?
You can use brand colours for logos and decorative elements — just not for body text or interactive controls. Most brands have a darker variant in their palette that passes. Work with your brand team to designate an accessible version.
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