Text Contrast Checker for Pins

Check whether the words on your pin stand out from the background, and get the closest colors that pass.

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Small text, like a website or step note

Contrast ratio

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    Closest colors that pass 4.5:1

    Each fix keeps the hue and changes only lightness. Tap one to apply it.

    Check a list of color pairs from a spreadsheet

    Import a .csv or .xlsx file with a Text color column, a Background color column and an optional Name column. Hex codes like #1d1b19, rgb() values and color names all work. The file stays on your device.

    How to use the Pin Text Contrast Checker

    1. 1

      Pick colors or add your pin

      Enter the text and background colors as hex codes or with the color pickers. To check a finished design, switch to Check a pin image and drop the file in. A sample pin is shown until you add yours.

    2. 2

      Sample the text

      Drag a box over a few letters of the title. The tool splits the pixels into the lettering and the color behind it and measures the pair. To sample one color, choose Text only or Background only and tap a spot.

    3. 3

      Fix and recheck

      Aim for at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for big bold titles. Tap a suggested color to apply it, then change your design and check the thumbnail preview to see if the title still reads at feed size.

    Most people see your pin as a small image in a fast-moving feed, often on a phone in daylight. If the title blends into the photo or the background color, they scroll past before reading it. Contrast is the measurable part of that problem: the difference in brightness between the text and what sits behind it.

    This checker gives you the WCAG contrast ratio, the same measure used for accessible websites, in two ways. Type or pick two colors, or upload a finished pin and drag over a few letters so the tool finds the text and background colors for you. When a pair fails, it suggests the nearest lighter or darker shade that passes. The image never leaves your device. To check many pairs at once, bulk mode imports a CSV or Excel file of text and background colors and grades every pair.

    What contrast ratio a pin needs

    WCAG, the web accessibility standard, asks for 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which it defines as about 24px or 19px bold at normal viewing size. Your pin title is large on the full-size image but small in the feed, so treat 4.5:1 as the target for anything you want read while scrolling, and 7:1 for small text like a website address.

    Text on a photo is the hardest case, because the background changes behind every letter. Sample the busiest part of the photo behind the title. If it fails, add a solid or semi-transparent band behind the text, darken the photo, or move the title to a calmer area. The blur background tool and the pin templates help with both.

    About the mobile areas and the thumbnail preview

    Apps place buttons and labels over the edges of images, so a title squeezed against the top or bottom can end up partly hidden. The shaded areas are an approximate guide to keep key text clear of, not an official Pinterest measurement, and the exact layout changes between app versions and screens.

    The thumbnail preview shows your pin at roughly the width it appears in a two-column phone feed. It is a fast test of whether the title is big and bold enough. Check the full picture in the Pinterest mobile preview.

    Pin Text Contrast Checker FAQ

    What is a good contrast ratio for text on a pin?

    At least 4.5:1 between the text and the background behind it. Large bold titles can pass at 3:1 under WCAG, but because pins are viewed small in the feed, 4.5:1 or higher reads more reliably.

    How is the contrast ratio calculated?

    Each color is converted to its relative luminance, a measure of perceived brightness from 0 for black to 1 for white. The ratio is the lighter value plus 0.05 divided by the darker value plus 0.05, giving a range from 1:1 to 21:1.

    How do I check contrast for text on a photo?

    Upload the pin, keep Text and background selected and drag a box over a few letters in the busiest part of the photo. The tool separates the lettering from the background pixels and measures the pair. Repeat on a couple of spots, since the photo changes behind the text.

    Does Pinterest require a certain contrast?

    No. Pinterest does not set a contrast rule for pin images. WCAG is a web accessibility standard, used here because it is a well-tested measure of how easy text is to read.

    Is my pin image uploaded?

    No. The image is read and measured in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.

    Can I check many color pairs at once from a spreadsheet?

    Yes. Below the checker, click Import CSV or Excel and choose a .csv or .xlsx file with a Text color column and a Background color column, plus an optional Name. Each pair gets its ratio and an AA and AAA grade in a table. Tap a pair to open it in the checker, or download all the results as a CSV.

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