WCAG 1.4.4 Resize Text

Success criterion 1.4.4 lets people with low vision make text bigger without special software and still use the site. Many older visitors simply press Ctrl and + or pinch on their phone. It is level AA and part of EN 301 549 (clause 9.1.4.4).

What the criterion requires

Text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionality.

• Any text scaling mechanism the browser supports counts, including full-page zoom; you do not need your own "A+" buttons.
• At 200 %, all text must remain visible and readable, and all functions must still work: no clipped or overlapping text, no buttons pushed off-screen or behind other elements.

Exceptions: captions and images of text (for images of text, see 1.4.5).

Typical failures on an online shop

• the viewport meta tag contains user-scalable=no or maximum-scale=1, so pinch zoom does not work on phones;
• text in buttons, badges or tabs is cut off because their containers have a fixed height or width;
• a sticky header and cookie bar grow so much at 200 % that they cover most of the screen;
• dropdown menus or the mini cart become unreachable at larger sizes;
• font sizes in viewport units only (vw), so text does not grow with zoom.

How to check it

Automated: our checker flags a viewport meta tag that disables zooming or limits it below 2× (rule meta viewport). Whether content is lost at 200 % depends on the layout and needs a manual check.

By hand: on a desktop browser window about 1280 px wide, zoom to 200 % and go through the main tasks: search, open a product, choose options, add to cart, check out. Look for cut-off text, overlaps and anything you cannot reach. On a phone, check that pinch zoom works. Text-only zoom (Firefox "Zoom text only") is a stricter extra test.

How to fix it

• Remove user-scalable=no and maximum-scale from the viewport meta tag.
• Use relative units (rem, em) for font sizes and avoid fixed heights on elements that contain text.
• Let buttons, labels and badges wrap onto two lines instead of clipping.
• Keep sticky headers small at high zoom, or make them non-sticky on short screens.

Related criteria

• 1.4.10 Reflow — no horizontal scrolling at 400 % zoom.
• 1.4.12 Text Spacing — larger line and letter spacing without loss.
• 1.4.5 Images of Text — text in pictures does not resize well.

Frequently asked questions

Is browser zoom enough to meet 1.4.4?

Yes, browser page zoom is an accepted way to resize text. The page must stay usable at 200 %: no cut-off text, overlapping elements or hidden buttons.

Does WCAG set a minimum font size?

No. WCAG 2.2 has no minimum font size. 1.4.4 asks that text can be enlarged to 200 %, and 1.4.3 sets the contrast of text, whatever its size.

Is user-scalable=no a failure?

A viewport meta tag that disables or limits zoom (user-scalable=no or a low maximum-scale) stops mobile users from enlarging text and is reported against this criterion.

How do I test WCAG 1.4.4?

Set the browser to a 1280 px wide window, zoom to 200 % and go through the key pages and tasks. Everything must still be readable and work.