Poor Text Contrast

Comments in this cluster overwhelmingly criticize low contrast between light gray text and white or light backgrounds on websites, making them hard to read, and suggest improvements like darker text or higher contrast modes.

📉 Falling 0.5x Web Development
6,217
Comments
20
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#8253
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
16
2008
61
2009
138
2010
223
2011
289
2012
426
2013
489
2014
270
2015
327
2016
334
2017
318
2018
306
2019
369
2020
499
2021
432
2022
519
2023
443
2024
309
2025
406
2026
43

Keywords

WCAG webaim.org contrastrebellion.com GRAY LIGHT LCD TN contrast white background text color grey font gray hard read ratio

Sample Comments

Balooga Apr 2, 2021 View on HN

Perhaps consider choosing background and font colors with a little more contrast? A white background and light grey text isn't the easiest on the eyes (mine at least).

optymizer May 24, 2020 View on HN

I find the contrast between the text color and background color to be too low for comfortable reading.

jonsneyers Feb 6, 2021 View on HN

Needs better contrast. The difference between text and background color is just too low, even for people with normal vision it is hard to read.

tieTYT Nov 13, 2013 View on HN

The author should really change that font contrast. It's almost the same color as the background.

berzemus Jul 1, 2015 View on HN

What's with the light-grey-text-on-white-background styling ? It may look good, but it's a pain to read.

irrational Oct 13, 2023 View on HN

It is not as easy to read as black on a light background.

Aeolun Feb 17, 2025 View on HN

Have you tried running any readability analysis on this? Feels like the contrast on the background and foreground is too low to make for comfortable (long term) reading.

ColinWright May 20, 2013 View on HN

Please, please increase the contrast on your site. Gray on barely-lighter-gray is really tough to read.

joeframbach Dec 15, 2025 View on HN

Please consider improving the color contrast. The text is gray-on-gray and impossible to read.

woah Jun 6, 2013 View on HN

Cool! Looks like the bright colors in the background might make the white text hard to read.