Color Picker & Converter

Pick colors and convert between HEX, RGB, HSL formats.

Color Selection

Choose your perfect color

Color Formats

Copy in your preferred format

HEX
#3b82f6
RGB
rgb(59, 130, 246)
HSL
hsl(217, 91%, 60%)
CMYK
cmyk(76%, 47%, 0%, 4%)

About Color Picker & Converter

Our Color Picker & Converter is a comprehensive tool designed for designers, developers, and creative professionals who work with colors daily. Whether you're choosing colors for a website, creating a brand palette, or converting between different color formats for various applications, this tool provides all the functionality you need in one intuitive interface.

Color is fundamental to design and visual communication. Understanding and working with different color formats is essential for modern digital work. This tool supports HEX (hexadecimal), RGB (Red, Green, Blue), HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness), and CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) formats, allowing seamless conversion between formats commonly used in web design, print design, and digital art.

With features like visual color selection, predefined color palettes, color harmony suggestions, and instant format conversion, this tool streamlines your color workflow. All processing happens locally in your browser, ensuring fast performance and complete privacy for your design work.

How to Use

Step 1: Select a Color

Use the visual color picker to choose your desired color, or click on one of the predefined colors from the quick palette. You can also enter a HEX value directly if you know the specific color code.

Step 2: View Color Formats

Once a color is selected, instantly see its values in HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK formats in the Color Formats panel on the right side.

Step 3: Copy Color Values

Click the "Copy" button next to any format to copy that color value to your clipboard for use in your design software or code.

Step 4: Explore Color Harmony

Check the Color Harmony section to see complementary colors that work well with your selected color for creating cohesive color schemes.

Key Features

Visual Color Selection

Interactive color picker with real-time preview and smooth color transitions.

Multiple Format Support

Convert between HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK formats instantly with accurate calculations.

Quick Palette

Access commonly used colors instantly from our curated quick color palette.

Color Harmony

Discover complementary colors and create harmonious color combinations.

History & Undo

Navigate through your color selection history with undo/redo functionality.

Color Analysis

View brightness, lightness, and saturation values for better color understanding.

Understanding Color Formats

HEX (Hexadecimal)

The most common format for web colors. Uses a 6-character code with values from 0-9 and A-F.

Example: #FF5733 (Red: FF, Green: 57, Blue: 33)

RGB (Red, Green, Blue)

Defines colors using red, green, and blue components, each ranging from 0 to 255.

Example: rgb(255, 87, 51) - Maximum red, some green, minimal blue

HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness)

Represents colors using hue (0-360°), saturation (0-100%), and lightness (0-100%).

Example: hsl(9, 100%, 60%) - Orange hue, fully saturated, medium lightness

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)

Subtractive color model used in printing, with values from 0-100% for each component.

Example: cmyk(0%, 66%, 80%, 0%) - No cyan, high magenta and yellow, no black

Common Use Cases

Web Development

Use HEX or RGB values for CSS styling, ensuring consistent colors across your website or application.

Graphic Design

Convert between RGB (screen) and CMYK (print) to maintain color accuracy across different media.

Brand Guidelines

Document brand colors in multiple formats for consistent use across all marketing materials.

UI/UX Design

Create accessible color palettes by analyzing brightness and contrast values for better readability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between RGB and HEX?

RGB and HEX represent the same color information in different formats. RGB uses decimal numbers (0-255) for red, green, and blue components, while HEX uses hexadecimal notation (00-FF). HEX is essentially RGB in a more compact format commonly used in web development.

When should I use CMYK instead of RGB?

Use CMYK for print design projects like business cards, brochures, or posters. CMYK is a subtractive color model that matches how printers mix inks. Use RGB for digital displays like websites, apps, or digital presentations, as screens emit light using red, green, and blue.

What is color harmony?

Color harmony refers to aesthetically pleasing color combinations. Common harmonies include complementary (opposite colors on the color wheel), analogous (adjacent colors), and triadic (three evenly spaced colors). Our tool shows complementary colors to help you create balanced color schemes.

Why do colors look different on my screen vs print?

Screens use additive color (RGB) with light emission, while printers use subtractive color (CMYK) with ink absorption. Additionally, screen calibration, paper type, and lighting conditions affect color appearance. Always test important colors in their final medium.

What's the benefit of using HSL?

HSL is intuitive for color adjustments. Hue represents the color itself (0-360° on the color wheel), saturation controls color intensity (gray to vivid), and lightness adjusts brightness (black to white). This makes it easy to create color variations while maintaining the same base hue.

How accurate is the CMYK conversion?

Our CMYK conversion provides a close approximation, but exact results depend on printing conditions, paper type, and printer calibration. For critical color matching, always consult with your print provider and request color proofs.

Can I save my color palettes?

Currently, the tool maintains a session history with undo/redo functionality. For permanent storage, copy the color values to your design software or documentation. The tool processes everything locally for privacy.

What are web-safe colors?

Web-safe colors were a palette of 216 colors that displayed consistently on old monitors with limited color support. Modern displays support millions of colors, so web-safe colors are no longer necessary. Use any color that suits your design needs.