Module 1: Checkpoint 9—Link colours

Conformance: Mandatory (Blue/purple colour desirable)

Requirements

Links must be a different colour to non-linking text.

Links must have a minimum colour contrast ratio to the background of at least 4.5:1.

For consistency, it is recommended that agency sites use blue for unvisited links and purple for visited links.

Benefits of conformance

  • Timely identification of links within a web page.
  • Reduces cognitive load on users.

Risks of non-conformance

  • Users should not have to guess or scrub the page to find out where they can click.