Undersized Touch Target

Interactive Android elements must meet a minimum touch target size of 48x48 dp to ensure users with motor impairments can tap them reliably.

WCAG Reference

Maps to: WCAG 2.5.5 Target Size (Enhanced) | Applies to: WCAG 2.1, WCAG 2.2 Introduced in: WCAG 2.1 | Level: AAA | Read the official specification →

What this rule checks

The scanner measures the rendered size of clickable and focusable elements and flags those smaller than 48x48 dp (the Android accessibility guideline minimum).

Why it matters

Users with motor impairments, tremors, or limited dexterity need adequately sized targets to tap accurately. Small targets cause frequent mis-taps, frustration, and can make features practically unreachable.

Common failure patterns

• icon buttons (close, favorite, menu dots) rendered at 24x24 dp without additional touch padding
• inline text links with no minimum height enforcement
• compact toolbar actions sized to the icon dimensions only
• list item action buttons (delete, edit) with minimal padding

Remediation guidance

• set android:minWidth and android:minHeight to at least 48dp on all interactive elements
• use android:padding or TouchDelegate to expand the touch area without changing the visual size
• in Jetpack Compose, use Modifier.sizeIn(minWidth = 48.dp, minHeight = 48.dp)
• Material Design components enforce this by default; prefer using them over custom implementations

Related docs

• Android Rule Repository
• Accessibility Issue Remediation Guide