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Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA)

The Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) is a free desktop app for Windows and macOS from TPGi/Vispero that checks foreground and background colours against WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 contrast requirements.

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Introduction

The Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) is a free desktop application for Windows and macOS for checking colour contrast. Its page describes it as one colour contrast tool for all WCAG colour-checking needs, usable on websites, during app development, and for social media graphics, PowerPoint slides, PDFs, InDesign files and almost anything visible on screen. It is maintained by TPGi, now part of Vispero.

You pick foreground and background colours with an eyedropper (or enter values), and CCA shows the contrast ratio with pass or fail results according to WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 at levels A, AA and AAA. Sliders adjust colours to reach a target level, a sample preview shows example text and a non-text icon, and results can be copied in short or long formats for assessment reports. The page summarises the thresholds: WCAG AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA requires 3:1 for graphics and user interface components; and AAA requires 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text.

Features

  1. Free desktop app: Windows and macOS.
  2. WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2: A, AA and AAA contrast results.
  3. Eyedropper: Check any colours on screen.
  4. Report-ready output: Copy results for audits.

Pros

  1. Free: No cost.
  2. Works anywhere: Checks any colours on screen.

Cons

  1. Manual tool: Checks one colour pair at a time.
  2. Contrast only: Does not test other accessibility criteria.
  1. Download CCA for Windows or macOS from the Vispero page.
  2. Use the eyedropper to pick the text colour (foreground) and the background colour.
  3. Read the contrast ratio and WCAG pass or fail results.
  4. Adjust the sliders until the target level passes, then copy the results into your report.

Resources:

Pricing

Free.

  1. Designers and testers checking contrast in any application.
  2. Auditors documenting contrast results in reports.

Conclusion

CCA is a trusted, free contrast checker that every accessibility tester should have installed.

Alternatives

Other tools on CheckOps that cover similar ground. Open a page, or compare one with Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) side by side.