Text Touch Target Size

App accessibility checks to verify if touch targets are large enough for easy interaction by all users. The minimum interactive UI element with a focusable area or touch target size requirement of 44x44 dp ensures that all users, especially those with motor impairments or who use assistive devices, can select and interact with UI elements accurately. Touch target accessibility promotes greater usability for everyone.

Success criteria

This rule checks if touch targets are at least 44x44 dp to ensure your app meets the WCAG accessibility standards.

How to fix?

To prevent insufficient touch target size violations:

• Design for larger touch targets
  Increase the size of interactive elements to meet the minimum touch target size of 44x44 dp.
• Use padding around smaller elements
  Add sufficient padding around small touch targets to increase the overall touchable area.
• Accessibility settings
  Allow users to adjust touch target sizes within your app to accommodate their individual needs.
• Consistent spacing
  Ensure adequate spacing between touch targets to prevent accidental selections.

Example

The following screenshot highlights an insufficient touch target size violation in a mobile app:

In this example, several touch elements are too small:

• Element #2
  The touch target size is 57dp x 17dp, which is below the WCAG 2.1 AAA requirement of 44dp x 44dp. This small size makes activating the button difficult for users with motor challenges.
• Element #3
  The touch target size is 286dp x 38dp, which is below the WCAG 2.1 AAA requirement of 44dp x 44dp.

To resolve this violation, you must:

• Increase the touch target size
  Change the touch target size to meet or exceed 44dp x 44dp.
• Add padding
  Surround the touch target with enough padding to increase the touchable area without altering the visual design.
• Implement adjustable settings
  Provide a setting that allows users to enlarge touch targets throughout the app.

Reference

• Learn more about Touch Target Size WCAG 2.1 - 2.5.5 (Level AAA) guideline.
• Learn more about Touch Target Size WCAG 2.2 - 2.5.5 (Level AAA) guideline.