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Colour Contrast Analyser

Accessibility & assistive technology resourcesColor, Contrast & Dyslexia ToolsWeb Accessibility Testing
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A free desktop checker for WCAG color contrast in visual designs.

Colour Contrast Analyser is a free Windows and Mac app for testing foreground and background color combinations against WCAG contrast requirements. It can sample colors from the screen, accept pasted color values, preview text and non-text contrast, and simulate several types of color vision deficiency.

Why it stands out

  • Works outside the browser, so it can test colors in PDFs, presentations, graphics tools, and native app screens.
  • Combines contrast calculation with on-screen sampling, color adjustment, and deficiency simulation in one desktop utility.
  • Reports against multiple WCAG versions and levels, including non-text contrast criteria from WCAG 2.1/2.2.
  • Provides copyable result formats useful for formal accessibility audit documentation.
  • Open-source development and issue tracking are available through the project’s GitHub repositories.

Good to know

  • Available as a desktop application for Windows and Mac; it is not presented as a web app or mobile tool.
  • Contrast checks still require users to pick or enter the relevant colors manually.
  • The page describes WCAG 2.x contrast ratio checks, not newer experimental contrast models such as APCA.
  • The software is distributed under GPL terms without warranty, as noted on the page.

Under the radar: For audit work, customize the short or long copy-results format in the CCA menu before testing so every pasted result follows your report template.

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Illustration for Colour Contrast Analyser