Color Converter
Convert between HEX, RGB, and HSL
How to Use This Converter
This color converter makes it simple to translate colors between HEX, RGB, and HSL formats instantly. Whether you are a web developer, graphic designer, or digital artist, entering colors in any format will automatically display the equivalent values in all other formats.
To get started, enter your color value in the format you have available. If you have a HEX code like #3b82f6, type it directly into the HEX input field. For RGB values, enter the red, green, and blue components separately in their respective fields, with values ranging from 0 to 255. HSL users can input hue (0-360 degrees), saturation (0-100%), and lightness (0-100%) values.
As you type, the color preview updates in real time, showing you exactly what the color looks like. The results section below displays ready-to-use CSS code for all three formats. Simply copy the format you need directly into your stylesheet, design software, or code editor. The bidirectional conversion means changing any input automatically updates all other values, making it perfect for experimenting with color adjustments.
Understanding Color Models
Different color models serve different purposes in the world of digital design and print. Understanding when and why to use each model will help you make better decisions for your projects and ensure color consistency across different media.
RGB: The Foundation for Screens
RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue, the three primary colors of light. This additive color model is used by all digital screens, including monitors, televisions, smartphones, and tablets. When red, green, and blue light combine at full intensity, they create white light. With no light, the result is black. Each color channel accepts values from 0 to 255, allowing for over 16.7 million possible color combinations. RGB is the native language of digital displays, making it essential for any screen-based design work.
HEX: The Web Standard
Hexadecimal color codes are simply RGB values expressed in base-16 notation. Each pair of characters represents one color channel, with 00 being the minimum (0) and FF being the maximum (255). For example, #FF5733 breaks down to FF (255) red, 57 (87) green, and 33 (51) blue. HEX codes became the web development standard because they are compact, easy to copy, and fit naturally into CSS without requiring parentheses or commas. Many designers prefer HEX for its brevity and widespread support across all web browsers and design tools.
HSL: The Designer's Choice
HSL represents colors using Hue, Saturation, and Lightness, which closely mirrors how humans naturally think about color. Hue is the color itself, measured in degrees around the color wheel from 0 to 360, where red is at 0 degrees, green at 120 degrees, and blue at 240 degrees. Saturation controls the intensity or vividness of the color, from 0% (completely grey) to 100% (fully saturated). Lightness adjusts brightness from 0% (pure black) to 100% (pure white), with 50% representing the true color. HSL is particularly powerful for creating color variations because you can easily darken, lighten, or mute colors by adjusting single values.
CMYK: For Print Production
CMYK uses Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black) inks and is the standard for professional printing. Unlike RGB which adds light, CMYK is a subtractive model where inks absorb certain wavelengths of light. While this converter focuses on screen colors, understanding CMYK is important when designing for print. Screen colors often appear more vibrant than their printed counterparts because RGB has a wider color gamut than CMYK. Always convert and proof your colors in CMYK before sending designs to print to avoid unexpected results.
Color Theory Basics
The color wheel is the foundation of color theory, organizing colors in a circle based on their relationships. Primary colors (red, yellow, blue in traditional theory; red, green, blue in light) combine to create secondary colors. Complementary colors sit opposite each other on the wheel and create strong contrast when paired. Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel and create harmonious, cohesive palettes. Understanding these relationships helps designers create effective color schemes that communicate the right mood and message.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between RGB and HEX color codes?
RGB and HEX represent the exact same colors using different notation systems. RGB uses three decimal numbers from 0-255 (like rgb(255, 128, 0) for orange), while HEX uses a six-character code in hexadecimal format (like #FF8000 for the same orange). The first two HEX characters represent red, the middle two represent green, and the last two represent blue. Both formats are interchangeable for digital use, and the choice between them is largely a matter of personal preference or project conventions.
Why do web developers prefer HEX codes?
HEX codes became the web standard for several practical reasons. They are more compact than RGB notation, taking up less space in stylesheets. They do not require parentheses, commas, or function syntax, making them faster to type. HEX codes are also easier to copy and paste between different applications without formatting issues. Additionally, most color picker tools, design software, and browser developer tools display HEX values by default, creating a consistent workflow for web professionals.
What are the advantages of using HSL for design work?
HSL offers significant advantages when you need to create color variations or build consistent palettes. Because HSL separates color (hue) from its intensity (saturation) and brightness (lightness), you can easily create lighter or darker versions of a color by simply adjusting the L value. Need a muted version? Lower the S value. Want to find related colors? Shift the H value by consistent intervals. This intuitive control makes HSL invaluable for creating hover states, disabled states, and comprehensive design systems where colors need to maintain relationships.
How do I convert colors for print projects?
Converting screen colors (RGB/HEX/HSL) to print-ready CMYK requires more than a simple calculation because the two color models have different gamuts. Many vibrant screen colors cannot be exactly reproduced in print. Professional design software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign can perform accurate conversions using color profiles specific to your printing process. Always work with your print vendor to obtain the correct color profile, convert your colors in professional software, and request a physical proof before final production to ensure color accuracy.
What is color accessibility and how do I ensure it?
Color accessibility ensures that your designs are usable by people with color vision deficiencies, which affect approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women worldwide. The key principles include maintaining sufficient contrast ratios between text and backgrounds (WCAG recommends at least 4.5:1 for normal text), never relying solely on color to convey important information, and using patterns or labels alongside color coding. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker can help verify your color combinations meet accessibility standards.
How can I find complementary colors for my design?
Complementary colors are positioned directly opposite each other on the color wheel, creating maximum contrast when paired. Using HSL makes finding complements simple: add 180 degrees to your current hue value. For example, if your primary color has a hue of 30 (orange), its complement has a hue of 210 (blue). For more sophisticated palettes, consider split-complementary schemes (using the two colors adjacent to the complement) or triadic schemes (three colors evenly spaced on the wheel). Many online color palette generators can automatically suggest harmonious combinations based on your starting color.
How do I maintain brand color consistency across platforms?
Maintaining brand color consistency requires documenting your colors in multiple formats and understanding the limitations of each medium. Create a brand color guide that includes HEX, RGB, HSL values for digital use, and CMYK values with specific Pantone matches for print. Use the exact values specified rather than approximations, and be aware that colors will appear differently on various screens due to calibration differences. For critical brand applications, consider using Pantone spot colors in print and testing your digital colors on multiple devices to ensure acceptable consistency.
What are the best color picker tools for designers?
Several excellent color tools are available for different needs. Browser-based options include Adobe Color (formerly Kuler) for creating harmonious palettes, Coolors for rapid palette generation, and Paletton for detailed color scheme creation. For desktop users, built-in tools like the macOS Digital Color Meter or Windows PowerToys Color Picker provide quick access to any screen color. Design software like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD include robust color pickers with eyedropper tools. For accessibility testing, WebAIM Contrast Checker and Stark are invaluable. Many designers use multiple tools depending on whether they need inspiration, conversion, or verification.
Color Conversion Examples
Brand Colors in All Formats
When working with brand guidelines, you often receive colors in one format but need them in others. Take Facebook Blue as an example: in HEX it is #1877F2, in RGB it is rgb(24, 119, 242), and in HSL it is hsl(214, 89%, 52%). Twitter Blue (#1DA1F2) converts to rgb(29, 161, 242) and hsl(203, 89%, 53%). Google Red (#DB4437) becomes rgb(219, 68, 55) and hsl(5, 69%, 54%). Having all formats readily available ensures you can use brand colors correctly regardless of the platform or tool requirements.
Web-Safe Colors Reference
While modern displays render millions of colors, understanding web-safe colors provides useful reference points. Pure red (#FF0000) equals rgb(255, 0, 0) and hsl(0, 100%, 50%). A common web-safe grey (#999999) converts to rgb(153, 153, 153) and hsl(0, 0%, 60%). Navy blue (#000080) is rgb(0, 0, 128) and hsl(240, 100%, 25%). These foundational colors help when you need reliable, universally consistent starting points for your color schemes.
Matching Print to Screen
When a project spans both digital and print media, start with the more limited medium. Choose your CMYK print colors first, then find the closest RGB equivalents for screens. For example, a CMYK rich black might translate to approximately #121212 on screen rather than pure #000000, maintaining visual consistency between your printed materials and digital presence. Document both values in your style guide to ensure team members use the correct format for each application.
Design Tips
Color Contrast for Accessibility
Good contrast is not just an accessibility requirement but a fundamental design principle. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Use light text on dark backgrounds or dark text on light backgrounds, and avoid color combinations that are difficult for colorblind users, such as red and green or blue and yellow. Test your designs with contrast checking tools before finalizing.
Building a Consistent Color Palette
Start with one or two primary colors that represent your brand or project. Using HSL, create variations by adjusting lightness for tints (add white) and shades (add black), and adjusting saturation for tones (add grey). A well-structured palette typically includes a primary color, a secondary accent, neutral colors for backgrounds and text, and semantic colors for success (green), warning (yellow), and error (red) states. Limit your palette to 5-7 colors to maintain visual cohesion.
Tools for Color Selection
Leverage the power of digital tools to make informed color choices. Use color wheel generators like Adobe Color or Coolors to explore complementary, triadic, and analogous schemes. Extract colors from photographs using eyedropper tools for natural, harmonious palettes. Check your selections against accessibility standards using contrast ratio calculators. When in doubt, look to established design systems like Material Design or IBM Carbon for proven color combinations that work well in real-world applications.
Common Colors Reference
- Red: #FF0000 / rgb(255,0,0) / hsl(0,100%,50%)
- Green: #00FF00 / rgb(0,255,0) / hsl(120,100%,50%)
- Blue: #0000FF / rgb(0,0,255) / hsl(240,100%,50%)
- White: #FFFFFF / rgb(255,255,255) / hsl(0,0%,100%)
- Black: #000000 / rgb(0,0,0) / hsl(0,0%,0%)
- Yellow: #FFFF00 / rgb(255,255,0) / hsl(60,100%,50%)
- Cyan: #00FFFF / rgb(0,255,255) / hsl(180,100%,50%)
- Magenta: #FF00FF / rgb(255,0,255) / hsl(300,100%,50%)
Did you know?
- The human eye can distinguish approximately 10 million different colors, though the exact number varies by individual.
- Web-safe colors were important when monitors could display only 256 colors, but modern displays support over 16 million.
- Pure blue (#0000FF) appears darker than pure red (#FF0000) or green (#00FF00) because of how human eyes perceive different wavelengths of light.
- The first color photograph was taken in 1861 by James Clerk Maxwell, using three separate photographs through red, green, and blue filters.
- Pantone, the company famous for standardized colors, was founded in 1962 and now defines over 2,100 distinct color specifications.