Reduced vision: contrast, text, and icons in a safety app
Reduced vision is not solved by one stronger colour. An app must keep text and actions readable with scaling, labels, focus, and assistive technology, tested on the real path without claiming guaranteed accessibility.
Check contrast
Text and controls needed to understand an action must stand out from the background. WCAG 2.2 AA gives 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; large text is at least 18 point or 14 point bold.
AAA uses 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text. Do not apply thresholds to decorative content without deciding what information is essential.
Let text scale
Enlarged text must not crop a button, hide status, or overlap another control. Test large text, zoom, orientation, and long content.
Do not shrink text to preserve layout. Reflow, wrap, or scroll predictably while keeping action and consequence visible.
Pair icons with words
An icon may be familiar to an experienced user and ambiguous under pressure. Add a text label that names the action and recipient.
The accessible name should match visible text. Do not use only shape or position to distinguish SOS, I’m OK, edit, and cancel.
Do not rely on colour alone
Red, green, and yellow can reinforce status but cannot be the only cue. Add text, a consistent icon, or a phrase for ready, in progress, successful, and failed.
Check dark theme, sunlight, colour filters, and images. Measured contrast does not guarantee that meaning is understood.
In Settings → Preferences, choose Parallax, Bubble, Calm Safety, Nord. Backgrounds and accents change; green still identifies OK and red identifies SOS. Text, icons and signal age remain necessary to understand the status.
Check screen reader and focus
A screen reader should announce name, role, state, and consequence. Keyboard or switch focus needs a visible indicator and a meaningful order.
Test opening and closing details, errors, and confirmation without touch. If a status changes only visually, voice and keyboard users may miss it.
Test the path without claims
Ask people with different settings to find recipient, action, and status, then correct an error. Record device, zoom, light, language, and technology.
iOS and Android settings may help text and contrast, but compatibility depends on the app. Fix observed issues and do not call one trial guaranteed accessibility.
Frequently asked questions
Is increasing contrast enough?
No. Include scalable text, icon labels, non-colour cues, visible focus, and assistive-technology trials.
Which WCAG contrast thresholds apply?
AA: 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. AAA: 7:1 and 4.5:1. Large text is at least 18 pt or 14 pt bold.
Does high contrast guarantee accessibility?
No. It may help, but test text, states, focus, scaling, and spoken output in the real product.
Sources consulted
Technical and safety information was checked against the following official sources.
- W3C: target size
- W3C: minimum contrast
- Apple: display text and icons
- Android: accessibility and display
- My Safe Circle: features
- My Safe Circle: Premium
- Updated app manual
Editorial note: this guide applies W3C criteria and documented mobile-system settings to app evaluation. Sources were checked on 8 September 2026; one trial is not a guarantee for every person. My Safe Circle flows rechecked against the code and manual on 9 October 2026; the indicated 2.3 changes remain a preview.
TEST VISIBILITY
Meaning must stay readable
Test contrast, large text, icons, colour, focus, and spoken output on the real device.
Explore My Safe CircleThis guide covers evaluation and accessibility; it is not a universal guarantee. In immediate danger, call the relevant local number.