Understanding Color Formats
Different design tools and programming languages use different formats to represent colors. Our converter helps you translate between the four most common formats instantly.
HEX (Hexadecimal)
The most common format used in web design (HTML/CSS). It starts with a hash (#) followed by 6 characters (0-9 and A-F) representing the Red, Green, and Blue values. For example, #FF0000 is pure red.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
Used primarily for digital screens. It defines colors by mixing red, green, and blue light. Each value ranges from 0 to 255. For example, rgb(255, 0, 0) is pure red.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness)
Often preferred by designers because it's more intuitive. Hue is the color type (0-360 degrees on the color wheel). Saturation is the intensity (0-100%). Lightness is how bright the color is (0-100%).
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)
The standard format for physical printing. Unlike screens that emit light (RGB), printers use ink to absorb light. Values are represented as percentages from 0% to 100%.
Accessibility & Contrast
Our tool includes a built-in contrast checker to ensure your text is readable. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text (AA compliance) to ensure it can be read by people with moderately low vision.