Testing Font Scaling For Accessibility With Figma Variables

2026-03-24

18 min read

by hello@smashingmagazine.com (Ruben Ferreira Duarte)

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This article explains how to use Figma variables to test font size scaling for accessibility as part of everyday design workflows.

•WCAG 2.2 Success Criterion 1.4.4 requires text to be resizable up to 200% without loss of content or functionality (AA compliance level)
•26% of Android and iOS users increase the default font size on their devices, making this a critical design consideration
•Both iPhones (Settings > Accessibility > Text Size) and Google Chrome (Options > Appearance > Font size) provide built-in font scaling tools for testing
•Figma variables, combined with text styles and auto layouts, enable designers to simulate font size increases directly within the design process
•The AccessibilityOps approach focuses on embedding accessibility into daily team routines rather than treating it as a separate initiative

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