Checking Color Contrast

Compliant color contrast is required to have a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for text size less than 18 points, and 3:1 for bold text at font size 14 or font that is size 18 or greater. Checking for this ratio cannot be done within Adobe Acrobat, so you must utilize external tools when checking your color contrast.

Disclaimer!

The best time to check for your contrast ratio is prior to converting your source document to PDF. This ratio is found by measuring your font color versus the background color in your document. You can learn how to check color contrast in Word and PowerPoint by reading their relevant course resources.

Color Contrast Checker

Adobe formats color using RGB rather than hexadecimal code. Due to this, you will need to use an RGB color contrast checker to test your font. Level Access has a free contrast checker that will do Hex and RGB format. 

Level Access Color Contrast Checker Links to an external site.

Finding Color Values in Adobe Acrobat

  1. Open the Edit PDF tools
    1. Right-click the document and select Edit Text or
    2. Select Edit PDF from the Adobe Toolbar

Once that tool is open, do the following to check and change text color:

  1. Highlight the text you want to check
  2. In the Format section of the Edit PDF tools, left click the color box to open the font color options
  3. Select a darker color from the default grid, or choose Other Colors to open the custom color options

Help image for Adobe text tools

Color-filled backgrounds

If your PDF has color filled backgrounds, you will also need the RGB code for the contrast checker. Do the following to find these numbers:

  1. In Edit PDF ribbon, select the More menu
  2. Select add from the context menu
  3. In the Source section of the Add Background menu, select the color box next to the From color radio button
  4. Select Other colors
  5. The RGB information will be on the color window