Touch targets are adequate size for mobile accessibility
Why it matters
Buttons and links smaller than 44x44 CSS pixels create a precision targeting problem for users with motor impairments, tremors, or large fingers on touch devices. WCAG 2.2 SC 2.5.8 (Target Size, Minimum) — new in WCAG 2.2 — requires a minimum target size of 24x24 CSS pixels with no adjacent targets within 24px, or a 44x44 minimum with no spacing requirement. SC 2.5.5 (Target Size, Enhanced) sets the AAA target at 44x44. Section 508 2018 Refresh 407.8 mandates operable part size. The most common failures: icon buttons (often 20x20 or 24x24 pixels), inline text links with short visible text, and toolbar controls packed without spacing. On touch-screen devices, close misses on a 20px button frequently activate adjacent controls instead.
Severity rationale
Low because undersized touch targets impair usability for motor-impaired and touch-screen users without blocking access, and the fix requires only CSS changes.
Remediation
Set a minimum size on all interactive elements using CSS. Use padding rather than fixed dimensions to allow the hit area to expand with content.
/* globals.css or button component */
button,
a,
[role="button"] {
min-width: 44px;
min-height: 44px;
/* Use padding to expand hit area without changing visible size */
padding: 10px 12px;
}
/* Small icon button: expand hit area via padding, keep icon visually small */
.icon-btn {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
min-width: 44px;
min-height: 44px;
padding: 10px;
}
.icon-btn svg {
width: 20px;
height: 20px;
}
/* Space between adjacent controls */
.toolbar {
display: flex;
gap: 8px; /* Minimum 24px between targets per SC 2.5.8 */
}
For inline text links in body copy, WCAG 2.5.8 provides an exception when the link is inline within a sentence — but navigation links and standalone CTAs do not qualify for the exception. Audit buttons in src/components/ui/button.tsx and icon buttons across the component library.
DetectionPro
The detection method for this pattern is part of AuditBuffet Pro.
The full method (what to look for, pass and fail conditions, and how results get reported) ships inside the Accessibility Basics Audit. The pattern definition, severity rationale, and remediation remain openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
External references
- wcag:2.2 · 2.5.8 — Target Size (Minimum)
- wcag:2.2 · 2.5.5 — Target Size (Enhanced)
- section-508:2018-refresh · 407.8 — Reach and Manipulation
Taxons
History
- 2026-04-18·v1.0.0·Initial import from accessibility-basics·automated