Gray on Black — Contrast Check

Gray text on a black background — measured contrast ratio 5.32:1, AA-grade for body.

At a glance

Foreground hex
#808080
Background hex
#000000
Contrast ratio
5.32:1
WCAG AA (normal text)
Pass
WCAG AAA (normal text)
Fail

Designers reach for gray text on black constantly — for headings, links, calls to action, and brand accents. Whether the combination is *accessible* depends on the WCAG contrast ratio, which for this exact pair is 5.32:1. It clears WCAG AA for body text. gray on black inverts the lightness — passes AA for normal text.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use gray text on a black background?
If your conformance target is WCAG 2.1 AA (the typical legal and design-system bar), the answer for normal-size body text is yes — at 5.32:1, you are above the 4.5:1 threshold. For large text (18pt or 14pt-bold), the bar is 3:1, which this pair meets. AAA, the strictest tier, requires 7:1 — this pair falls short of that.
Why does the named color matter?
CSS named colors map to fixed hex values defined by the CSS Color Module: gray is always #808080 and black is always #000000. Browsers render them identically, so the contrast ratio is identical too. Always check the hex underneath when you’re testing — gray is not the same as darkgray, which is actually lighter than gray.
What does this fail or pass mean for color blindness?
Contrast ratio measures luminance only — it doesn’t tell you whether color-blind users can distinguish hues. Two colors with strong contrast can still be confused under protanopia or deuteranopia if they sit on the same red-green axis. The simulator above shows how this pair appears under the four common types of color vision deficiency.
How do I improve the ratio if it fails?
It already passes — no fix needed for AA body text. If you also need AAA conformance, the calculator above suggests the nearest passing colors.

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