The intent of this success criteria is to ensure that target sizes are large enough for users to easily activate them, even if the user is accessing content on a small handheld touch screen device, has limited dexterity, or has trouble activating small targets for other reasons. For instance, mice and similar pointing devices can be hard to use for these users, and a larger target will help them activate the target.
Touch is particularly problematic as it is an input mechanism with coarse precision. Users lack the same level of fine control when using inputs such as a mouse or stylus. A finger is larger than a mouse pointer, and generally obstructs the user's view of the precise location on the screen that is being touched/activated.
The issue can even be further complicated with responsive layouts on small screens like mobile, which need to accommodate different types of fine and coarse inputs. Both input types must be supported for a site that can be accessed both on a traditional desktop/laptop with a mouse, as well as on a tablet or mobile phone with a touch screen.
While this criterion defines a minimum target size, as a best practice it is recommended that larger sizes are used to reduce the possibility of unintentional activations. This is particularly relevant if any of the following are true:
The targets on a screen can have different purposes and uses, and this Success Criterion specifies how each is to be handled.
Equivalent targets: If there is more than one target on a screen that performs the same action, only one of the targets need to meet the target size of 44 by 44 CSS pixels.
Inline: Content displayed can often be reflowed based on the screen width available. This is known as responsive design and makes it easier to read since you do not need to scroll both horizontally and vertically. In reflowed content,
the targets can appear anywhere on a line and can change position based on the width of the available screen. Since targets can appear anywhere on the line, the size cannot be larger than the available text and spacing between the sentences or paragraphs,
otherwise the targets could overlap. It is for this reason targets which are contained within one or more sentences are excluded from the target size requirements.
Note 1: If the target is the full sentence and the sentence is not in a block of text, then the target needs to be at least 44 by 44 CSS pixels.
Note 2: A footnote or an icon within or at the end of a sentence is considered to be part of a sentence and therefore are excluded from the minimum target size.
User Agent Control: If the size of the target is not modified by the author through CSS or other size properties, then the target does not need to meet the target size of 44 by 44 CSS pixels.
Essential: If the target is required to be a particular target size and cannot be provided in another way, while changing it would essentially change the information or functionality of the content, then the target does not need to meet the target size of 44 by 44 CSS pixels.
Each numbered item in this section represents a technique or combination of techniques that the WCAGWorking Group deems sufficient for meeting this Success Criterion. However, it is not necessary to use these particular techniques. For information on using other techniques, see Understanding Techniques for WCAG Success Criteria, particularly the "Other Techniques" section.
Techniques that are sufficient to meet the Guideline or Success Criterion.
Although not required for conformance, the following additional techniques should be considered in order to make content more accessible. Not all techniques can be used or would be effective in all situations.
The following are common mistakes that are considered failures of Success Criterion 2.5.3 by the WCAG Working Group.