Color Picker & Converter
Pick any color and instantly convert between HEX, RGB, and HSL formats. Copy color codes with one click.
What Is a Color Picker?
A color picker is a tool that lets you select any color from a visual spectrum and instantly retrieve its code in the formats used by design and development tools. This color picker goes further by simultaneously converting your chosen color into HEX, RGB, and HSL formats — the three most widely used color systems in web design and digital graphics — so you can copy the exact value you need with a single click.
Color pickers are among the most used tools in any web designer's or front-end developer's workflow. Whether you are matching a brand color from a logo, creating a consistent color system for a UI component library, sampling a shade from a reference image, or experimenting with new combinations for a website redesign, getting the exact color code quickly and accurately is essential.
Understanding the Three Main Color Formats
HEX (hexadecimal) color codes are the most ubiquitous format in web development. A HEX color is a six-character string preceded by a hash symbol, where each pair of characters represents the red, green, and blue components as hexadecimal values from 00 (none) to FF (full intensity). For example, #FF0000 is pure red, #00FF00 is pure green, and #0000FF is pure blue. HEX codes are used in CSS, HTML attributes, design tools like Figma and Sketch, and virtually every web-facing color field.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color notation expresses the same three color channels as decimal values between 0 and 255. The format rgb(255, 87, 51) means 255 units of red, 87 of green, and 51 of blue. RGB is particularly useful in JavaScript and CSS contexts where colors need to be manipulated programmatically — for example, when dynamically adjusting opacity using rgba(), animating color transitions, or computing blended colors in canvas drawing operations.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) represents color in a way that is far more intuitive for visual thinking and design work. Hue is the color itself, expressed as a degree on the color wheel from 0 to 360. Saturation is how pure or vivid the color is, from 0% (fully grey) to 100% (fully saturated). Lightness controls brightness from 0% (black) to 100% (white), with 50% being the "pure" version of the hue.
When to Use Each Color Format
Use HEX in CSS stylesheets, HTML attributes, and design file exports. Use RGB when you need to manipulate individual color channels in JavaScript or when adding transparency with rgba(). Use HSL when building color systems or when you need to derive related colors programmatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HEX and RGB colors?
HEX and RGB both represent the same three color channels but in different notations. HEX uses base-16 numbers in a compact 6-character string, while RGB uses base-10 numbers as three separate values from 0 to 255. HEX #FF5733 and rgb(255, 87, 51) refer to the exact same color.
What is the HSL hue value for common colors?
Red is at 0 degrees. Orange around 30. Yellow around 60. Green at 120. Cyan at 180. Blue at 240. Purple around 270–300. Pink around 330–350.