What is the difference between RGB and CMYK?

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is additive color used by screens—mixing all three makes white. CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) is subtractive color used in printing—mixing all makes black. Colors may look different on screen vs. print because of this fundamental difference.

HSL stands for Hue (0-360°), Saturation (0-100%), Lightness (0-100%). It's more intuitive than RGB for selecting colors—hue is the color on the wheel, saturation is the vibrancy, lightness is how bright or dark.

How do I pick accessible color combinations?

Use a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (WCAG AA). Dark text on light backgrounds works best. Avoid red-green combinations for color-blind accessibility.

Color Converter — HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK

Color Models Compared

Model	Range	Best For
HEX	#000000 – #FFFFFF	CSS, web design, shorthand notation
RGB	0-255 per channel	Screen display, CSS, image editing
HSL	H: 0-360°, S/L: 0-100%	Intuitive color selection, CSS3
CMYK	0-100% per channel	Print design, physical media

HSL: The Intuitive Model

RGB makes picking colors tedious. Knowing that (52, 152, 219) is blue requires experience. HSL is straightforward: Hue 204° puts you in the blue range, 70% saturation is fairly vivid, and 53% lightness is middle brightness. To make it darker, lower L. To make it pastel, lower S. The hue stays the same.

Web-Safe Colors

In the 1990s, only 216 colors displayed consistently across browsers. That restriction ended decades ago. Modern screens display 16.7 million colors (24-bit). HDR displays push even further with 10-bit color (1.07 billion colors per channel).

How to Use This Color Converter

Enter a color in any format — HEX, RGB, HSL, or CMYK. The calculator instantly converts to all other formats and shows a color preview.

Formula & How It Works

HEX to RGB: each pair of hex digits converts to 0-255. RGB to HSL: H = hue angle, S = saturation, L = lightness. CMYK is subtractive (used in printing).

Calculation Example

HEX #3B82F6 = RGB(59, 130, 246) = HSL(217°, 91%, 60%) = CMYK(76%, 47%, 0%, 4%). This is a vivid blue commonly used in web design.

Expert Tips

Use HEX or RGB for web, CMYK for print. HSL is most intuitive for picking colors — adjust hue for color, saturation for vibrancy, lightness for shade. Always ensure sufficient contrast (WCAG 4.5:1).

Color Converter

Color Models Compared

HSL: The Intuitive Model

Web-Safe Colors

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Use This Color Converter

Formula & How It Works

Calculation Example

Expert Tips