Have you ever zoomed in on a website to make the text easier to read, only to end up scrolling left and then right, then to the left again, just to try and read the first sentence? That’s precisely the barrier WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.4.10: Reflow (Level AA) was developed to solve.
What is reflow?
Reflow means your content should adapt when someone zooms in or resizes their screen. Instead of cutting off or requiring horizontal scrolling, your text and images should neatly rewrap into a single, logical reading order column. In other words, reflow is a responsive design that allows for single-column viewing at high zoom levels.
Why is reflow important?
Many people rely on zooming in to read text or interact with content comfortably. For people with low vision, it can mean the difference between reading your content or giving up altogether. Without proper reflow, they must pan left and right constantly, which is frustrating and, frankly, exhausting. Reflow removes that barrier and ensures that information is still readable and in logical order.
Who wins when reflow works?
- People with low vision who rely on zooming in to enlarge text.
- Anyone using a small screen, like a phone in portrait mode.
- Users with cognitive disabilities find that proper reflow creates a clean, linear flow of content that is easier to process.
When content reflow works, accessibility and usability come together. Designing for reflow means creating a smoother, more intuitive experience that benefits every user.
Protip:
Give your pages a test run at 400% zoom or on narrow screens, and check whether the content still flows cleanly and logically in a single column without any horizontal scrolling. If it doesn’t, tweak your CSS breakpoints or use more flexible layouts so everything reflows smoothly. A few tweaks now can make your site far more accessible, readable, and enjoyable for everyone.
For more information on how to ensure your content has proper reflow, see the Techniques section of Understanding SC 1.4.10: Reflow (Level AA)
Resources
- Going with the PDF Reflow
- Responsive Design and Reflow
- Can You Spot The A11y Issue: Low Vision
- Understanding SC 1.4.10: Reflow (Level AA)
A human author creates the DubBlog posts. The AI tools Gemini and ChatGPT are sometimes used to brainstorm subject ideas, generate blog post outlines, and rephrase certain portions of the content. Our marketing team carefully reviews all final drafts for accuracy and authenticity. The opinions and perspectives expressed remain the sole responsibility of the human author. (Updated Sept. 15, 2025)
