Do these UI legibility issues affect the acquisition of the Handheld Optimized certification?

Liu Boxin 0 Reputation points
2026-04-15T11:06:26.12+00:00

We currently have a porting project planned to be ported to the Microsoft Store platform, and we also wish to obtain handheld certification.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/gaming/gdk/docs/gdk-dev/pc-dev/handheld/handheld-guidelines-and-testcases?view=gdk-2510#guideline-4-ui-legibility)

After reviewing the official documentation on handheld-related guidelines, we have the following questions:

 

  1.  The original game has many UI elements that are difficult to modify. Is it necessary for all these UI-related elements to fully comply with the handheld requirements?
  2. In the project, there are some controller button prompts. For the joystick button prompts labeled "L" and "R," as well as the trigger button "LT" and "RT," there is a slight pixel size discrepancy compared to the documentation (the document requires 9px height, but the current in-game display is 7px or 8px height). Will this issue affect handheld certification?
  3. In the main menu - character information, some text elements such as "LV" and "HP" are also smaller in pixel size than specified in the documentation (the document requires 9px height, but the current in-game display is 7px or 8px height). However, since the text structure is simple and clear, there is no issue with readability on the handheld platform. Will this issue affect handheld certification?

[moderator's note: moved from Windows for home | Windows 11 | Gaming]

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  1. AI answer

    2026-04-15T11:06:43.5966667+00:00

    For Handheld Optimized, the UI legibility guideline applies specifically to essential in‑game UI elements and is evaluated against the pixel‑height thresholds in the documentation.

    1. Whether all UI must comply
      The guideline explicitly distinguishes between:
    • Essential in‑game UI elements (must meet legibility requirements and affect the handheld compatibility rating), including:
      • All menu options and descriptions
      • HUD indicators
      • In‑game help and on‑screen tutorial text
      • Items & inventory labels
      • Quest and mission descriptions
      • Dialogue and subtitle text
      • Settings and configuration menus
    • Optional in‑game UI elements (recommended but do not affect the handheld compatibility rating), such as flavor text, non‑critical tooltips, decorative/background text, etc.

    Only the essential elements are required to meet the pixel‑height thresholds and readability at 12 inches. Optional elements can fall below the thresholds without blocking Handheld Optimized status.

    1. Controller button prompts (L/R, LT/RT) at 7–8 px vs. 9 px minimum
      The guideline states for 720p:
    • “If the screen resolution is 1280x720 (720p), the smallest font size should not drop below 9 pixels in height.”

    Controller button prompts are user‑actionable symbols and are part of essential UI (“Essential in-game text and user-actionable symbols must be legible from 12 inches away.”). The test case requires:

    • Measuring the smallest font sizes in captured images.
    • Verifying that at 1280×720 the smallest font size does not drop below 9 pixels in height.

    If the smallest essential prompts (L/R, LT/RT) are only 7–8 px at 720p, they do not meet the stated minimum. According to the test case, this would count against Guideline 4 and can negatively affect the handheld compatibility rating and therefore Handheld Optimized certification.

    1. Small labels like “LV” and “HP” at 7–8 px but still readable
      “LV” and “HP” in the main menu / character information are part of:
    • “HUD indicators” and
    • “Items & inventory labels” or character stats, which are listed as essential in‑game UI elements.

    For essential elements, the expected result for Guideline 4 is:

    • “Essential in-game text is readable 12 inches away, and the smallest font size does not drop below 9 pixels in height at a resolution of 1280x720…”

    The guideline couples readability and meeting the pixel‑height minimum; both conditions are required. Even if “LV” and “HP” are subjectively readable, if they measure only 7–8 px at 720p, they do not satisfy the documented minimum and can impact the Handheld Optimized result.

    In summary:

    • Only essential UI must meet the 9 px (720p) / 14 px (1080p) minimums. Optional UI can be smaller without affecting certification.
    • Essential controller prompts and key stat labels like “LV” and “HP” are covered by the essential category. If they fall below the pixel‑height thresholds at the tested resolution, they are out of spec and may prevent achieving Handheld Optimized status.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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