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Accessible White

The universal background — works when text is dark enough

20

Total shades

in database

0

Pass AA on white

0% of shades

0

Pass AAA on white

0% of shades

20

Pass AA on black

100% of shades

0%

WCAG AA Score

Shades passing 4.5:1 on white

0 of 20 White shades achieve at least 4.5:1 contrast on white — the WCAG AA threshold for normal body text.

0%

WCAG AAA Score

Shades passing 7:1 on white

0 of 20 White shades exceed 7:1 — the WCAG AAA threshold required for enhanced accessibility.

Recommended Text Colors

When using a White shade as a background, use these text colors for WCAG AA compliance.

Dark text works on:

White
21.0:1
Ivory White
20.8:1
Mint Cream
20.6:1
Azure White
20.4:1
Snow White
20.3:1
Honeydew
20.3:1

Recommended Backgrounds

When using a White shade as text color, these backgrounds provide WCAG AA compliance.

Automated Accessibility Validation — All White Shades

ColorHexOn WhiteOn BlackBest Use
White#FFFFFF
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA21.0:1
Text on black
Ivory White#FFFFF0
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.8:1
Text on black
Mint Cream#F5FFFA
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.6:1
Text on black
Azure White#F0FFFF
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.4:1
Text on black
Snow White#FFFAFA
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.3:1
Text on black
Honeydew#F0FFF0
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.3:1
Text on black
Cream White#FFFDD0
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.2:1
Text on black
Floral White#FFFAF0
WCAG Fail1.0:1
WCAG AAA20.2:1
Text on black
Off White#FAF9F6
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.9:1
Text on black
Ghost White#F8F8FF
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.9:1
Text on black
Cosmic Latte#FFF8E7
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.8:1
Text on black
Seashell#FFF5EE
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.6:1
Text on black
Old Lace#FDF5E6
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.4:1
Text on black
Magnolia#F8F4FF
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.4:1
Text on black
Lavender Blush#FFF0F5
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA19.0:1
Text on black
Linen#FAF0E6
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA18.7:1
Text on black
Alabaster#F2F0EB
WCAG Fail1.1:1
WCAG AAA18.4:1
Text on black
Eggnog#FBEEC1
WCAG Fail1.2:1
WCAG AAA18.1:1
Text on black
Antique White#FAEBD7
WCAG Fail1.2:1
WCAG AAA17.9:1
Text on black
Pearl White#F0EAD6
WCAG Fail1.2:1
WCAG AAA17.4:1
Text on black

Accessibility Notes

  • 1

    White on black achieves 21:1 contrast — WCAG AAA. White text is safe on any background with luminance below ~0.18.

  • 2

    White text on mid-tone backgrounds (gray 400–600, blue 400–600) typically fails WCAG AA — always check.

  • 3

    White on medium-bright colors (yellow, cyan, lime) often fails — these colors are too luminous for white text.

  • 4

    In dark-mode UIs, off-white (#F1F5F9, #F8FAFC) is gentler than pure white and still passes AAA on dark backgrounds.

  • 5

    WCAG recommends a minimum 3:1 contrast for large text and UI components; 4.5:1 for normal text. White typically only meets these on genuinely dark backgrounds.

Design Examples

CARD WITH WHITE BACKGROUND

Card heading

A card component using White as the background. Dark text ensures readability.

Design Tips

  • White text passes WCAG AA on any background with a contrast ratio of 4.5:1+ — generally dark shades of any color.

  • Use #F8FAFC (near-white) instead of pure white for backgrounds — slightly warmer and reduces glare.

  • For dark buttons (navy, dark green, dark purple), white text is almost always accessible. Always verify with the specific shade.

More Color Accessibility Guides