Font Size Converter
Our Font Size Converter helps you determine the correct font values for making your website accessible.
EM or REM font size values must be used when coding websites. PX values are not accessible. People making universal adjustments to their browser settings will likely be unable to view your website unless REM values are used.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to provide criteria for making websites accessible to everyone. Following the WCAG guidelines will help ensure your website is accessible and compliant.
Section 1.4.4 (Resize Text):
Level AA
Except for captions and images of text, text can be resized without assistive technology up to 200 percent without loss of content or functionalityWhy do you need to convert from PX to REM?
When font-size is defined in CSS using “PX” as a unit, the user will not be able to resize font, as required in the WCAG success criteria.
16px = 1rem
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The ADA prohibits any private businesses that provide goods or services to the public, referred to as “public accommodations,” from discriminating against those with disabilities. Federal courts have ruled that the ADA includes websites in the definition of public accommodation. As such, websites must offer auxiliary aids and services to low-vision, hearing-impaired, and physically disabled persons, in the same way a business facility must offer wheelchair ramps, braille signage, and sign language interpreters, among other forms of assistance.
All websites must be properly coded for use by electronic screen readers that read aloud to sight-impaired users the visual elements of a webpage. Additionally, all live and pre-recorded audio content must have synchronous captioning for hearing-impaired users.
Websites must accommodate hundreds of keyboard combinations, such as Ctrl + P to print, that people with disabilities depend on to navigate the Internet.
Litigation continues to increase substantially. All business and governmental entities are potential targets for lawsuits and demand letters. Recent actions by the Department of Justice targeting businesses with inaccessible websites will likely create a dramatic increase of litigation risk.
Big box retailer Target Corp. was ordered to pay $6 million – plus $3.7 million more in legal costs – to settle a landmark class action suit brought by the National Federation of the Blind. Other recent defendants in these cases have included McDonald’s, Carnival Cruise Lines, Netflix, Harvard University, Foot Locker, and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Along with these large companies, thousands of small businesses have been subject to ADA website litigation.
Defendants in ADA lawsuits typically pay plaintiff's legal fees, their own legal fees for defending the litigation, and potential additional costs. In all, the average cost can range from tens of thousands of dollars, to above six figures. There are also high intangible costs, such as added stress, time and human capital, as well as reputational damage. Furthermore, if the remediation is incomplete, copycat suits and serial filers can follow, meaning double or triple the outlay. It's vital to implement a long-term strategy for ensuring your website is accessible and legally compliant.