1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception)

1. What is the goal of this criterion?

Imagine trying to enlarge the text on a website because you have low vision – but important information is locked inside images and can’t be adjusted. Frustrating, right? That’s exactly what Success Criterion 1.4.9 addresses.

People with low vision, reading difficulties or other disabilities rely on being able to adapt text to their needs – larger, higher contrast or in a different font. Images of text make that impossible.

So the goal of 1.4.9 is simple: use real text instead of images of text – except for pure decoration or where the specific presentation is essential. The exception for customizable images of text that still exists in Images of Text doesn’t apply here.

2. What exactly does it require?

Put simply, images of text are allowed in only two situations:

Pure decoration: the image of text serves only a visual purpose and conveys no information. A background pattern made of letters is one example.

Essential presentation: the specific visual presentation of the text is indispensable to the information. The classic example is logos and brand names – the standard explicitly considers them essential.

Difference from 1.4.5: the AA criterion 1.4.5 also allows images of text if users can customize them visually, and it only applies if the presentation can be achieved as real text with the technologies being used. 1.4.9 at Level AAA has no such leeway: apart from decoration and essential presentation, only real text remains.

What isn’t allowed: images of text for headings, buttons, navigation or other functional content – just because they “look nicer”. The desired design can practically always be achieved with HTML and CSS.

3. Why does it matter for accessibility?

Imagine needing to enlarge text to 200% to read it, but all the important information is embedded as images. You see pixelated, blurry letters and can barely get at the content.

Real text instead of images of text makes content accessible because it:

• Lets people with low vision adjust font size, contrast and typeface to their needs
• Allows people with reading difficulties to use their own fonts or spacing
• Can be read directly by screen readers and other assistive technologies
• Loads quickly even on slow connections and stays sharp on every screen size
• Makes translation and searching possible

And finally, it makes content flexible for everyone – including people without disabilities.

4. How to meet the criterion

The good news: implementation is usually technically straightforward and makes your website more robust and easier to maintain at the same time. Here are the key strategies:

Ground rule: CSS instead of images

• Use CSS for typography: web fonts, shadows, gradients, transforms
• Use CSS for layout and effects instead of “baking” them into images
• Use responsive typography that adapts to different screen sizes

For headings:

• Use HTML headings (<h1> to <h6>) styled with CSS
• Use web fonts for distinctive typography
• Create effects with CSS (shadows, outlines, gradients) rather than image editing

For buttons and navigation:

• Style buttons with CSS: border-radius, box-shadow, background-image: linear-gradient(…)
• Use SVG graphics for icons and label buttons with real text
• Use :hover and :focus-visible styles for interactivity

For special typefaces:

• Embed web fonts (self-hosted or via a service)
• Use @font-face for custom fonts
• Define fallback fonts in case a web font doesn’t load

Handle legitimate exceptions properly:

• Logos: may be images but need an appropriate text alternative (see Non-text Content)
• Historical documents: facsimiles are fine when the original is meant to be shown – with a transcript
• Decorative elements: mark them with alt="" or add them via CSS

Tools for implementation:

• CSS frameworks such as Bootstrap or Tailwind offer ready-made classes for text styling
• Browser developer tools to check whether text is real text (select, copy, enlarge)
• Testing tools for checking images and their text alternatives

5. Why this criterion matters for businesses

Success Criterion 1.4.9 is AAA – but the benefits of real text are very practical.

1. Reach a wider audience

A website with real text instead of images of text reaches more people: people with low vision, older people, people with reading difficulties and everyone who has adjusted their browser settings. According to the WHO, around 1.3 billion people worldwide live with a significant disability – hardly a niche group.

2. Improve technical performance

Real text is usually smaller than an image and scales without loss of quality on every device. That means shorter load times and crisp rendering – especially on mobile devices.

3. Simplify maintenance and localization

Text changes in HTML take seconds; images of text have to be laboriously recreated. Multilingual websites benefit in particular: real text can be translated, while images of text have to be produced again for every language.

Last but not least: the legal context. Level AAA is not required by the European Accessibility Act or by its German implementation, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) – the benchmark there is WCAG 2.1 Level AA via EN 301 549. The W3C also advises against requiring Level AAA as a general policy for entire sites. That said, 1.4.9 is achievable with little effort for most websites. This section is general information, not legal advice.

6. The success criterion in the W3C’s words

Success Criterion 1.4.9 Images of Text (No Exception) (Level AAA)

Images of text are only used for pure decoration or where a particular presentation of text is essential to the information being conveyed.

Note: Logotypes (text that is part of a logo or brand name) are considered essential.

In short: images of text are only allowed as pure decoration or when the particular presentation of the text is essential – and logos count as essential.