What is the WCAG 2.5.5 minimum tap target size?

WCAG 2.5.5 (Target Size, Level AA) requires that interactive targets are at least 44x44 CSS pixels. This applies to all pointer inputs including touch, mouse, and stylus. The exception is when a smaller target is essential, inline, or user-agent controlled.

Does the 44px rule apply to both width and height?

Yes. Both dimensions must be at least 44 CSS pixels. An element that is 44px wide but only 20px tall still fails WCAG 2.5.5 because it is too short to reliably activate by touch.

What is the difference between CSS pixels and physical pixels?

CSS pixels are device-independent units. On a high-DPI screen with a device pixel ratio of 2, one CSS pixel equals 2 physical pixels. WCAG 2.5.5 uses CSS pixels, so a 44x44 CSS px target is the same physical size across devices regardless of screen density.

Can I use padding instead of making the element itself 44px?

Yes. Padding counts toward the tap target area. If your icon is 24x24px, adding 10px of padding on each side brings the total tappable area to 44x44px, which passes WCAG 2.5.5.

What changed in WCAG 2.5.8 (WCAG 2.2)?

WCAG 2.2 introduced Success Criterion 2.5.8 (Target Size Minimum, Level AA) which sets a softer 24x24 CSS px minimum but requires adequate spacing between targets. The original 2.5.5 criterion at 44x44 CSS px remains the gold standard for mobile accessibility.

Tap Target Size Checker

Name: Tap Target Size Checker
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter your element's width and height in CSS pixels to instantly see whether it meets the WCAG 2.5.5 44x44 px minimum tap target requirement.

Element Dimensions (CSS pixels)

Width (px)

44px

Height (px)

44px

WCAG Standard

WCAG 2.5.5 — 44px (AA) WCAG 2.5.8 — 24px (AA)

WCAG 2.5.5 (WCAG 2.1) — minimum 44x44 CSS pixels for all interactive targets.

Result

Overall WCAG Verdict —

Width

— —

Height

— —

Suggested fix (add padding)

Visual Preview

Scaled to fit — dashed ring shows the 44px minimum boundary.

44×44

Scale: 2px per CSS px

Why 44px?

Apple HIG and Android Material Design both recommend 44pt / 48dp minimum touch targets — approximately the size of an average adult fingertip contact area (~10mm). WCAG 2.5.5 aligns with this at 44 CSS pixels to prevent accidental mis-taps for users with motor impairments.

Common Element Sizes

Summary

Enter your element's width and height in CSS pixels to instantly see whether it meets the WCAG 2.5.5 44x44 px minimum tap target requirement.

How it works

Enter the width of your interactive element in CSS pixels.
Enter the height of your interactive element in CSS pixels.
The tool immediately compares both values against the 44px minimum.
Pass or fail badges are shown for each axis and for the overall WCAG 2.5.5 criterion.
If either dimension fails, the tool calculates the minimum padding needed to reach 44px.
Use the visual preview to see the target at actual size relative to a fingertip reference.

Use cases

Verify that buttons, links, and icon buttons meet touch accessibility standards before launch.
Audit existing mobile web or progressive web app UI for WCAG 2.5.5 compliance.
Calculate the padding required to bring an undersized element up to the 44px minimum.
Educate designers on why small tap targets cause errors on touchscreens.
Check form inputs, checkboxes, and radio buttons for adequate touch area.
Validate that navigation icons in mobile menus are large enough for all users.
Confirm compliance for government, healthcare, or enterprise accessibility audits.
Quickly triage a list of component sizes during a design system review.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: 2026-05-29 · Reviewed by Nham Vu