Do Not Use Color as the Only Visual Cue

Color must not be the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, or distinguishing a visual element. (WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.1)

Why This Matters

Colorblind and low-vision users miss required-field markers, status, or links shown by color alone.

Use Semantic HTML Elements

Quality

Add Alt Text to Images

Quality

Ensure Keyboard Navigation

Quality

Maintain Color Contrast Ratio

Quality

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About 1 in 12 men have some color vision deficiency. If "errors are red" or "links are blue" is the only signal, those users can't tell them apart.

Good: pair color with text, an icon, or underline (e.g. error fields get a message + icon). Bad: required fields marked only by a red border.