About

Version: WCAG 2.1 and up
Number: 1.4.12
Level: AA
Applicability:
  • Text
Requirement:

In content implemented using markup languages that support the following text style properties, no loss of content or functionality occurs by setting all of the following and by changing no other style property:

  • Line height (line spacing) to at least 1.5 times the font size;
  • Spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size;
  • Letter spacing (tracking) to at least 0.12 times the font size;
  • Word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size.

Exception: Human languages and scripts that do not make use of one or more of these text style properties in written text can conform using only the properties that exist for that combination of language and script.
Guidance:
Techniques:

Purpose

The purpose of this success criterion is to ensure that users can increase the spacing of text to improve its readability without losing content or functionality.

How to Meet

Authors need to ensure that when all the listed settings are applied to the publication, the content remains readable and functional.

Some problems that arise when spacing is increased include text being clipped by its containing element, text overlapping nearby content, and buttons being pushed off screen.

To avoid these problems, authors need to use flexible design patterns and/or ensure that there is enough space within elements to meet the spacing minimums.

Additional Information

The following knowledge base pages provide more information about how to address this success criterion for publishing content: