Using a color contrast checker plugin in Figma helps ensure your designs are accessible by verifying the contrast ratio between text and background colors meets established standards. The process is straightforward and focuses on analyzing specific elements within your design.
Steps to Check Color Contrast in Figma
To use the Color Contrast Checker plugin and evaluate the accessibility of your text and background color combinations, follow these simple steps:
1. Select Your Design Elements
First, you need to identify the objects in your design that you want to check.
- Select the two objects that you want to compare for color contrast and accessibility.
- Ensure that these objects should have a solid fill. The plugin requires solid colors to perform the contrast calculation accurately. This typically means selecting a text layer and a background layer behind it.
2. Access the Plugins Menu
Once your objects are selected, navigate to the Figma menu to access your installed plugins.
- Then click on the "Plugins" menu in the Figma app menu bar, usually found at the top of your screen.
3. Launch the Color Contrast Checker
From the list of available plugins, find and select the specific tool.
- Select "Color Contrast Checker" from the list of installed plugins that appears in the dropdown menu.
After selecting the plugin, a new window or panel will typically open, displaying the contrast ratio between the two selected elements and indicating whether it passes or fails accessibility guidelines (like WCAG).
Why Color Contrast Matters
Checking color contrast is a critical part of creating inclusive digital products. Sufficient contrast ensures that text is readable for people with visual impairments, including color blindness, low vision, or age-related vision changes. Meeting accessibility standards helps you reach a wider audience and improves usability for everyone.
By following these steps using a Color Contrast Checker plugin in Figma, you can efficiently test and adjust your color choices to build more accessible and user-friendly designs.
