Läsbar

Läsbar is a Swedish adjective meaning readable or legible. In English, readable and legible describe the ease with which written text can be perceived and understood. In Swedish usage, läsbar refers to text that can be easily read, whether printed or digital, and to designs that support readability through clear typography, sufficient contrast, and uncluttered layouts. The related noun läsbarhet denotes readability or legibility as a property of a text or a design.

In typography and user interface design, achieving good läsbarhet involves several factors: font choice and weight; font size; letter and word spacing; line length; line height; margins; and color contrast between text and background. For screens, accessibility guidelines such as WCAG emphasize high contrast and scalable text to accommodate users with visual impairments.

Practical guidelines include: choosing a legible typeface; using medium body text sizes (on the web, around 16 px, adjusted for context); aiming for line lengths of roughly 50–75 characters per line; maintaining adequate line height (about 1.4–1.6); minimizing the use of all-caps; and ensuring sufficient color contrast. In print, higher contrast and clearer typefaces can improve readability.

Läsbarhet is a central concern in accessibility and inclusive design, influencing comprehension, reading speed, and information retention. It intersects typography, layout, and content structure, and is considered alongside content clarity and visual design.