WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.4.5, Images of Text, is a Level AA requirement: text is presented as text, not as an image of text.
Read the criterion in the W3C Recommendation, WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab).
How BearScan checks it
Text is presented as text, not as an image of text
Checked automatically: loads the page in a browser. Severity: medium. Text baked into an image cannot be resized, recoloured or re-spaced by a low-vision user, and it blurs when magnified.
An approximation: The 16 largest distinct images of a rendered page (pictures, inline SVG and CSS background images) are cut out of a screenshot and a vision model says how likely each is mostly text that could have been live text, and how likely it is a logotype, brand or product mark, badge, seal or certification mark, screenshot or chart, which are exempt (it also says which kind of mark it took it for). It fails at 85% or more when the image is not probably a logo, and asks for review from 50%. Smaller images beyond the 16 are not read.
How to fix it. Replace images of text with real text styled in CSS. Logos and text whose particular presentation is essential are exempt.
All WCAG 2.2 criteria · Next: 1.4.10 Reflow
Questions
Is WCAG 1.4.5 required by the ADA?
The ADA doesn't name a technical standard for businesses, but the Justice Department's 2022 guidance points businesses to WCAG, and its 2024 rule for state and local governments adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which includes 1.4.5.
Can an automated tool check WCAG 1.4.5?
Mostly. BearScan checks it automatically (loads the page in a browser). A clean result still isn't proof every page passes, only the pages scanned.
How do I fix a WCAG 1.4.5 failure?
Replace images of text with real text styled in CSS. Logos and text whose particular presentation is essential are exempt.