Level AAWCAG 2.2

2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)

The size of the target for pointer inputs is at least 24 by 24 CSS pixels.

Why it matters

Motor impairments
Tremors and difficulty with fine motor control prevent accurate taps on small targets.
Older adults
Fingertip precision declines with age. Buttons under 24px lead to mis-taps.
Mobile
On touch screens the contact area is large, making small targets hard to operate.
On the move
Walking or on a train, hands shake. Sufficient target size is a safety measure.

Live demo

Tap target size

Tiny buttons are hard to operate, especially on mobile devices and for users with motor impairments.

16×16px — difficult to tap

Size measurement overlay

24×24px minimum size grid

WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 2.5.8 sets the minimum target size to 24×24 CSS pixels.

16pxFails
24pxMinimum
44pxRecommended

Understanding through personas

Watanabe (72) — Parkinson's disease

Finger tremors make me mis-tap small buttons repeatedly. Targets 24px or larger dramatically improve my success rate, and I can do online banking by myself.

Checkpoints

References