What is the difference between RGB and HEX?

They represent the same colors differently. HEX uses base-16 notation (#FF5733), while RGB uses decimal values (255, 87, 51). Both describe red, green, blue channels from 0-255.

HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, Lightness. It's more intuitive than RGB — hue is the color (0-360°), saturation is vividness (0-100%), lightness is brightness (0-100%).

Are HEX, RGB and HSL conversions lossless?

Yes. All three describe the same sRGB color and convert between each other with no data loss — they are just different notations. You can move freely between them without any drift in the actual color.

Why doesn't my color convert exactly to CMYK?

RGB has a wider gamut than the CMYK subtractive ink model, so vivid neons and saturated blues simply cannot be reproduced in CMYK. The conversion gives the nearest printable approximation, which is why screen-to-print color always needs a proof.

What are LAB and LCH used for?

LAB (CIELAB) and LCH are perceptually uniform spaces where equal numeric steps look equally different to the eye. They are ideal for building smooth, evenly-spaced color scales for data visualization and for accurate color-difference calculations.

How do I turn a HEX value into a CSS hsl() color?

Paste the HEX and copy the HSL output. Designers often prefer hsl() in CSS because lightness is the cleanest axis to tweak for hover and active states, and hue steps make generating related colors straightforward.

What is the difference between HSL and HSV?

Both start from hue and saturation, but HSL third axis is lightness (50% = pure color, 100% = white) while HSV uses value/brightness (100% = pure color). HSV matches the pickers in Photoshop and Figma; HSL maps directly to CSS hsl().

Color Converter — HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK Online

How to use Color Converter

Convert colors between HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, LAB, and LCH formats instantly — all conversions happen in your browser. Paste any color value and get all equivalent representations at once. Useful for translating design tool values into CSS, converting brand colors between print (CMYK) and screen (RGB/HEX), and building design token systems.

Enter a color value in any supported format: HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, or CMYK.
All equivalent values in every other format appear instantly.
Click any format field to copy the value to your clipboard.
Use the color preview swatch to visually confirm the conversion is correct.
Try the batch mode to convert a list of colors at once.

Your data never leaves your device — 100% private processing.

Conversion accuracy and color spaces

RGB, HEX, and HSL all operate in the sRGB color space and convert between each other with zero data loss — they are mathematically equivalent representations of the same color. CMYK conversion is an approximation: RGB colors have a wider gamut than CMYK (which is a subtractive ink model), so bright neons and saturated blues cannot be perfectly reproduced in CMYK. LAB (CIELAB) is a perceptually uniform color space — equal numerical distances correspond to equal perceived color differences, making it ideal for color interpolation and accessibility analysis.

Practical conversion scenarios

Designers often need to convert Figma HEX values to CSS hsl() for easier theming (HSL lightness is the cleanest axis to manipulate programmatically). Print designers need RGB-to-CMYK for offset printing where screen colors must be matched to ink. Brand guidelines frequently specify Pantone or CMYK values that front-end developers must translate to HEX. The LAB format is used in data visualization when constructing perceptually uniform color scales where every step looks equally spaced to the human eye.

Worked examples

HEX to RGB and HSL

Inputs: #ff6347

Result: rgb(255, 99, 71) · hsl(9, 100%, 64%)

HEX to CMYK

Inputs: #3498db

Result: cmyk(76%, 31%, 0%, 14%)

Glossary

sRGB: The standard RGB color space for screens and the web — the default color space in CSS and HTML.
CMYK: Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Key (Black) — a subtractive color model used in color printing.
CIELAB (LAB): A perceptually uniform color space where equal numerical differences correspond to equal perceived color changes.
Color gamut: The range of colors a device or color space can represent — sRGB is narrower than P3 or ProPhoto RGB.

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Color Converter

How to use Color Converter

Conversion accuracy and color spaces

Practical conversion scenarios

Worked examples

Glossary

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why use Color Converter?

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