Online Color Converter – HEX ⇄ RGB ⇄ HSL ⇄ HSV ⇄ CMYK

Enter one value and hit Go to convert across all formats—plus see a live swatch.

How to Use the Converter

1. Enter a value in one of the five rows (HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV or CMYK).
2. Click “Go” next to that row (or press Enter, if you’ve enabled keyboard support).
3. Watch every other field update automatically, showing your color in all formats.
4. See the swatch below change to your selected color for instant visual confirmation.

Quick Shortcut: After typing your number(s), simply hit ↵ Enter to trigger conversion without moving your mouse.

By following these three simple steps, you can seamlessly translate any color value into the format you need—whether you’re coding a website, designing in Figma, or matching paint for a room makeover.

When to Use Each Format: HEX vs. RGB vs. HSL vs. HSV vs. CMYK

Every color notation has its sweet spot. Choose the format that best fits your workflow:

• HEX (#RRGGBB)
  • Use for: Web/CSS, HTML attributes, design tools like Figma/Sketch.
  • Why: Concise, universally supported, and easy to embed in stylesheets.
• RGB (rgb(255, 105, 180))
  • Use for: Canvas drawing APIs, inline styles in JavaScript, dynamic color calculations.
  • Why: Direct mapping to red-green-blue channels, familiar to coders.
• HSL (hsl(330, 100%, 71%))
  • Use for: Toning up/down colors, creating tints/shades programmatically.
  • Why: Separates hue, saturation, and lightness—makes adjustments (e.g. “make it 10% lighter”) trivial.
• HSV (hsv(330, 59%, 100%))
  • Use for: Color-picker UIs, where “value” (brightness) is more intuitive than lightness.
  • Why: Often mirrors human perception better when choosing vivid or muted hues.
• CMYK (0 %, 58 %, 29 %, 0 %)
  • Use for: Print design, brochures, packaging, and any CMYK-based workflow in InDesign or Illustrator.
  • Why: Matches print-press inks; essential for accurate press proofs.

Pro tip: Need the official keyword for a web-safe shade—like MediumSeaGreen or DeepSkyBlue? Browse our full HTML Color Names & HEX Codes chart for all 147 named colors.

Real-World Use Cases: Design, Development & Décor

Whether you’re coding a website, mocking up UI, or planning a room repaint, this converter fits right into your workflow:

• Web Development:
  1. Jump into the Interactive HTML Color Picker to grab any HEX code.
  2. Paste it here and convert to RGB or HSL for dynamic CSS animations or JavaScript color logic.
• UI/UX Prototyping:
  1. Copy HSL values for intuitive lightness adjustments in Figma or Sketch.
  2. Use HSV when you need bright, vivid controls—perfect for custom color-picker components.
• Print & Publishing:
  1. Convert web colors into CMYK for spot-on printed brochures, flyers, or packaging.
  2. Enter the CMYK values into InDesign’s swatch panel to ensure your press proof matches your on-screen design.
• Interior Design & DIY:
  1. Grab a paint-shop–ready HEX from the Interactive Picker.
  2. Paste it into paint-visualizer apps like Behr ColorSmart or Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap.
  3. See exactly how that web hue—say #2E8B57 (Sea Green)—will look on your walls or cabinets.

Pro tip: Combine tools—pick a color in the Interactive Color Picker, convert formats here, then preview in a paint app for a seamless digital-to-real-world workflow.

Accessibility & Contrast: Ensure Readability with WCAG Checks

Good design isn’t just pretty—it needs to be legible. After converting your color:

1. Copy your foreground and background HEX codes.
2. Paste them into the WebAIM Contrast Checker.
3. Aim for a minimum 4.5 : 1 ratio for normal text (7 : 1 for AAA compliance).

• Interactive tip: Use HSL values to nudge lightness up or down in one click—just re-convert here and re-test until you hit the target ratio.
• Mobile check: Test on your phone screen under different lighting; contrast can shift dramatically outdoors.

By integrating contrast checks into your converter workflow, you’ll deliver designs and print materials that are not only beautiful but accessible to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Which format should I fill first?
Answer: You can start in any field—HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV or CMYK. As soon as you click Go, the converter computes all other formats for you and updates the swatch preview. Choose whichever notation you’re most comfortable with.

Q2. Why don’t my CMYK values always round-trip perfectly?
Answer: Screen colors (additive RGB/HEX/HSL/HSV) versus print colors (subtractive CMYK) use different models. Small rounding differences are normal when converting back and forth.

Q3. How do I copy a value to my clipboard?
Answer: After hitting Go, the swatch’s background updates. To copy any field, just select its text and press Ctrl +C (Windows) or ⌘ +C (Mac). If you’d like one-click copy buttons, let us know—we can add them!

Q4. Is this tool mobile-friendly?
Answer: Absolutely. The responsive layout and touch-optimized buttons work on phones and tablets. On iOS, tap the numeric keyboard’s Return key to submit instead of tapping Go.

Q5. What if I enter invalid values?
Answer: You’ll see a simple “Invalid input” alert. Check that:

• HEX has exactly 6 hex digits (0–9, A–F).
• RGB channels are between 0–255.
• HSL/HSV angles 0–360 and percentages 0–100.
• CMYK percentages 0–100.

Q6. Why are HSL and HSV different?
Answer: Both describe hue, saturation and brightness/lightness—but HSL’s “lightness” treats mid-tones differently, while HSV’s “value” focuses on pure brightness. Use HSL when you need even tints/shades; use HSV for vivid-color pickers.

Q7. Can I use this offline?
Answer: Yes. Once the page loads, everything runs on your browser—no server calls. Bookmark it, then it will work even when you’re offline or disconnected.

Q8. Where can I find named color keywords?
Answer: For W3C’s 147 official names like DeepSkyBlue, see our HTML Color Names & HEX Codes chart. It’s perfect for semantic CSS and design documentation.