Convert any color between HEX, RGB, HSL, and CMYK formats instantly.
Digital colors can be expressed in several mathematically equivalent formats. Converting between them is essential when moving work between design tools (which prefer HSL), web CSS (HEX or RGB), and print production (CMYK). Our Color Converter handles all four major formats simultaneously, so you can copy the exact value needed for your context.
HEX (hexadecimal) represents the red, green, and blue channels as two-digit numbers in base 16 (0–9, then A–F), giving a range of 00 to FF (0–255 in decimal) per channel. The format is #RRGGBB. HEX is the dominant format in CSS and HTML. Short form #RGB is also valid where both digits of each pair are the same — #FF6633 can be written as #F63.
RGB expresses each color channel as an integer from 0 to 255. It is the native format of screens — every pixel on your monitor is a mix of red, green, and blue light. RGB is additive: combining all three at maximum (255, 255, 255) produces white; all at zero produces black. In CSS, RGB is written as rgb(255, 107, 53).
HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, Lightness. Hue is the color's angle on a 360° wheel (0° = red, 120° = green, 240° = blue). Saturation is color purity (0% = grey, 100% = vivid). Lightness is brightness (0% = black, 100% = white, 50% = full color). HSL is far more intuitive than HEX or RGB for designing color systems — adjusting lightness while keeping hue constant creates consistent tints and shades.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) is the color model of physical printing. Unlike screens (additive/RGB), printers mix inks that absorb light (subtractive). Files destined for professional printing must be provided in CMYK to ensure accurate color reproduction, as RGB-to-CMYK conversion can shift colors noticeably.