Color Contrast in Google Slide Presentation

This is the tutorial for adding color contrasts for the Google Slide Presentation presented by GraphyPix LLC. You will get to know possible errors and solutions to add fitting color contrast to your design. A prevalent error often observed in presentations regarding accessibility is inadequate colour contrast. Low contrast in your slide colors can harm accessibility for many. Fortunately, this is a frequent mistake, but it’s also straightforward to correct. If you’re curious about finding the ideal color contrast for your PowerPoint presentations, you’re in for a treat! Use the free PowerPoint color contrast checker. It is a core feature of our PowerPoint add-in.

Discover the secrets to maximizing your productivity with colour contrast functionalities in Google Slide presentation

It’s crucial to develop digital content that is accessible to all, no matter their abilities or disabilities. Around 15% of people worldwide have a disability, and this percentage is rising as the population ages.

Businesses, content creators, and designers now see the need for accessibility. They want to meet both ethical and legal obligations. More and more nations are passing legislation to ensure that commercial apps and websites follow certain accessibility guidelines. Ephemeral content, such as Google Slide presentations, often goes unmentioned in conversations about accessibility. Given that these media are essential to communications, training, sales, and various other functions within organizations, maintaining accessibility standards is non-negotiable.

Numerous content creators frequently – and incorrectly – believe that accessible content solely benefits individuals with visible, permanent disabilities, like limb loss or visual impairment. Yet, numerous disabilities remain unseen or are not fully grasped by those who do not experience them. Also, a focus on inclusivity has a ripple effect. Accessible design improves the experience for all users in Google Slide presentations.

Making Google Slide presentation accessible

One straightforward way to enhance the accessibility of your presentations is by ensuring that text and other key elements have sufficient contrast. Low contrast can hinder readability. It can complicate graphs and diagrams. It may also increase the chances of your audience losing interest.

Background: The first word on the slide should have enough contrast with the background. It must be clearly legible.

Approximately 1 in 12 men, or 8%, and 1 in 200 women are estimated to be affected by color vision deficiency (CVD). Poor color contrast on your PowerPoint slides may leave many of your audience in the dark. However, it’s essential to think beyond just those with visual impairments. Numerous other situations highlight the significance of having strong contrast:

Location in Google Slide presentation: As remote work rises, online presentations are now more common. Your slides will be displayed across various screens and in environments beyond your control. Not sharing the same space as your audience makes it much harder to tailor your approach to their needs. This post offers additional insights for transitioning your presentations to an online format.

Projection: Projection issues persist as low-quality projectors struggle in dimly lit environments, a challenge that has stood the test of time. Using a projector in bright sunlight can turn the experience into a challenge, making it tough to read the on-screen content. Slides that appeared sharp and clear on your computer now seem blurred and hard to decipher. Room size and the audience’s distance from the screen can lead to legibility issues if the color contrast needs to be adjusted appropriately.

Distribution in Google Slide presentation: When sharing your slides as a PDF handout, ensure they are readable for all. Here are a few examples that highlight the significance of achieving the correct color contrast. Clear slides ensure your audience gets the critical info. Effective color contrast is vital for clarity.

What are the best ways to determine if my presentation features sufficient color contrast? A variety of factors influence the intricacies of colour contrast. Fortunately, you can use science to create an impact.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in Google Slide presentation

Most web accessibility laws around the world are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. This is an excellent resource for those looking to enhance the accessibility of their designs.

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The WCAG guidelines are structured into three distinct levels: A, AA, and AAA. Most organizations aim to meet both level A and level AA guidelines. These address the most significant and prevalent obstacles faced by disabled users, serving as a clear indication of an organization’s strong dedication to accessibility. 

When it comes to color, there are two essential success criteria you need to meet based on these levels:

1. Avoid relying solely on color to communicate information visually

Ensure that you avoid relying solely on color to convey your message throughout your Google Slide presentation.

A prime example of using color to communicate is typical. It is the representation of right versus wrong or good versus evil with green and red. These colors are used globally for things like traffic signals. But, their meanings are only sometimes understood. Also, the most common type of colour blindness makes it hard to distinguish green from red. For individuals with color blindness, distinguishing between the two circles below can be incredibly challenging, if not entirely unfeasible.

One straightforward solution is to incorporate extra visual indicators, such as a tick to signify ‘positive’ and a cross to denote ‘negative’.

Discover additional insights in our other article focused on enhancing presentations for individuals with colour blindness.

2. Make sure the slide content features adequate color contrast

The initial criterion for success emphasizes the importance of not relying solely on color to communicate information. The second criterion focuses on ensuring that all content on the slides is easily readable.

There’s a clear rationale behind the standard choice of black text on a white background in word processing tools, as well as the preference for black ink when filling out forms. For easy readability, the text must contrast sharply with the background. The example below shows a case of overly similar text and background colors. The low contrast makes the text difficult to read.

Enhancing the contrast between the background and the text in the Google Slide presentation, which can make it easier to read. 

It can produce results like this:

• As per WCAG guidelines, a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 is mandated for text, with certain exceptions in Google Slide presentations.

• Text should be a minimum of 18pt or at least 14pt and bold, ensuring a minimum contrast ratio of 3:1.

• Visuals are essential for audience comprehension of the content (at least a 3:1 ratio). Exceptions do exist, such as flags. Discover the non-text WCAG contrast guidance right here.

• Text that is purely decorative or part of a logo (no min. contrast req.)

• To make things easier, as a general rule, we recommend that all text have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

Keep in mind that the contrast ratios outlined by WCAG serve merely as a guideline for the Google Slide presentation. The size and weight of your font play a crucial role in ensuring text contrast and readability. To maintain clarity, avoid using overly stylized or very thin fonts. Also, don’t overload a single slide with too much text.

Want to know how to make your design work better? Check out our free graphic design templates.

Free Templates

Color contrast analyzer in Google Slide presentation

Explore online tools to improve color contrast and simulate colour blindness. Regrettably, many of these options necessitate that you manually enter the HEX code for your chosen colors or upload an image of your text for evaluation. Checking multiple slides can really waste your time, especially when you have more than a few to review. This inefficient workflow leads to many individuals needing to check color contrast in their PowerPoint presentations regularly.

We’re excited to introduce two new colour contrast tools in our Google Slide presentation add-in. They let you check color contrast within a Google Slide presentation! To find the contrast ratio of text in a filled text box, shape, or freeform shape, right-click. At the bottom of the menu, you’ll find the color contrast checker ratio. Keep in mind that your goal is to achieve a minimum of 4.5:1. Clicking this ratio will open a pop-up. It has a color contrast checker. It will check if your text meets various WCAG success criteria. The same approach can find the color contrast ratio between the fill colors of two shapes. Highlight both shapes, then right-click and navigate to the bottom of the menu.

Introducing the second thrilling addition to your Google Slide presentation toolkit: the Color Contrast Report! It’s in the slides tab under Theme Colors. This tool will elevate your presentations. Clicking here will create a report. It will show all the color combinations of text and shape fills from your theme colors. This report will include their contrast ratios. It will say if they meet the 4.5:1 accessibility requirement.

This checker helps you find the best color combos for your Google Slide presentation. They will improve your presentation design before you start. This is very helpful when configuring the slide master. It helps with choices about the background, shape, and text colour. Discover our complimentary on-demand video showcasing PowerPoint templates and masters.

That’s all for the colour contrast applications of Google Slide Presentation from GraphyPix LLC. To read about accessibility features, click here . To learn more about marketing applications, click here .