Color Converter
Convert between HEX, RGB, HSL, and HSV
Color Converter
Convert colors between HEX, RGB, HSL, and HSV formats. Edit any field to update all others in real-time.
How to use the Color Converter
- •Enter a color value in any supported format: HEX (e.g.,
#FF6B35), RGB (e.g.,rgb(255, 107, 53)), HSL (e.g.,hsl(20, 100%, 60%)), or HSV. - •Edit any format and all other formats update in real-time. Change the HEX value and see the corresponding RGB, HSL, and HSV values instantly.
- •Use the visual color picker to select a color interactively. Drag the hue slider and the saturation/brightness picker to find the exact color you want.
- •Preview the selected color in the live swatch that shows the current color alongside useful variations.
- •Copy any format to your clipboard for use in CSS, design tools, or application code.
What are Color Models?
Color models are mathematical systems for describing colors as numbers. Different models are useful for different purposes:
HEX is a compact representation of RGB values using hexadecimal notation (#RRGGBB). It is the most common format in CSS and web development. Each pair of hex digits represents one RGB channel (0-255 mapped to 00-FF).
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) defines colors by mixing three channels of light. It is an additive color model -- combining all three at full intensity produces white. RGB is the native model for computer displays because monitors physically use red, green, and blue subpixels. Values range from 0 to 255 per channel.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) describes color in terms that are more intuitive to humans. Hue is the color angle on the color wheel (0-360 degrees: 0 is red, 120 is green, 240 is blue). Saturation (0-100%) is how vivid the color is. Lightness (0-100%) ranges from black (0%) through the pure color (50%) to white (100%). HSL makes it easy to create color variations: darken a color by reducing lightness, desaturate it by reducing saturation.
HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) is similar to HSL but uses "value" (brightness) instead of lightness. In HSV, 100% value with 100% saturation gives the purest, brightest color, while in HSL, 50% lightness gives the purest color. HSV is the model used by most graphic design tools' color pickers (Photoshop, GIMP, Figma).
Understanding the relationships between these models is essential for design work. RGB and HEX are used in code, HSL is ideal for generating harmonious color palettes programmatically (rotate hue by 30 degrees for analogous colors, 180 degrees for complementary), and HSV maps to how color pickers visually present choices.
Common use cases
- •Design-to-code translation: Convert colors from design tools (which often display HSB/HSV) to CSS-compatible formats (HEX, RGB, HSL).
- •Creating color palettes: Use HSL to generate tints and shades by adjusting lightness, or create harmonious palettes by rotating the hue value.
- •Accessibility work: Convert to HSL to quickly check if a color's lightness provides sufficient contrast against backgrounds.
- •Cross-format consistency: Ensure the exact same color is used across different tools and codebases that may prefer different color formats.
FAQ
Q: Which format should I use in CSS?
A: Modern CSS supports all formats. HEX is traditional and compact. HSL is recommended by many style guides because it is more human-readable and easier to create variations of. RGB is useful when you need alpha transparency (rgba()).
Q: Is there any visual difference between the formats?
A: No. HEX #FF6B35, RGB rgb(255, 107, 53), and HSL hsl(20, 100%, 60%) all describe the exact same color. The formats are just different ways to express the same value.
Q: What is the difference between HSL and HSV/HSB? A: HSL and HSV use the same hue scale but differ in how they handle brightness. In HSL, lightness 50% gives the purest color. In HSV, value 100% combined with full saturation gives the purest color. Most design tools use HSV (labeled as HSB), while CSS uses HSL.
Is my data safe?
Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your data is never sent to our servers.
How to use the Color Converter
- Enter a color value in any supported format: HEX (e.g.,
#FF6B35), RGB (e.g.,rgb(255, 107, 53)), HSL (e.g.,hsl(20, 100%, 60%)), or HSV. - Edit any format and all other formats update in real-time. Change the HEX value and see the corresponding RGB, HSL, and HSV values instantly.
- Use the visual color picker to select a color interactively. Drag the hue slider and the saturation/brightness picker to find the exact color you want.
- Preview the selected color in the live swatch that shows the current color alongside useful variations.
- Copy any format to your clipboard for use in CSS, design tools, or application code.
What are Color Models?
Color models are mathematical systems for describing colors as numbers. Different models are useful for different purposes:
HEX is a compact representation of RGB values using hexadecimal notation (#RRGGBB). It is the most common format in CSS and web development. Each pair of hex digits represents one RGB channel (0-255 mapped to 00-FF).
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) defines colors by mixing three channels of light. It is an additive color model -- combining all three at full intensity produces white. RGB is the native model for computer displays because monitors physically use red, green, and blue subpixels. Values range from 0 to 255 per channel.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) describes color in terms that are more intuitive to humans. Hue is the color angle on the color wheel (0-360 degrees: 0 is red, 120 is green, 240 is blue). Saturation (0-100%) is how vivid the color is. Lightness (0-100%) ranges from black (0%) through the pure color (50%) to white (100%). HSL makes it easy to create color variations: darken a color by reducing lightness, desaturate it by reducing saturation.
HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) is similar to HSL but uses "value" (brightness) instead of lightness. In HSV, 100% value with 100% saturation gives the purest, brightest color, while in HSL, 50% lightness gives the purest color. HSV is the model used by most graphic design tools' color pickers (Photoshop, GIMP, Figma).
Understanding the relationships between these models is essential for design work. RGB and HEX are used in code, HSL is ideal for generating harmonious color palettes programmatically (rotate hue by 30 degrees for analogous colors, 180 degrees for complementary), and HSV maps to how color pickers visually present choices.
Common use cases
- Design-to-code translation: Convert colors from design tools (which often display HSB/HSV) to CSS-compatible formats (HEX, RGB, HSL).
- Creating color palettes: Use HSL to generate tints and shades by adjusting lightness, or create harmonious palettes by rotating the hue value.
- Accessibility work: Convert to HSL to quickly check if a color's lightness provides sufficient contrast against backgrounds.
- Cross-format consistency: Ensure the exact same color is used across different tools and codebases that may prefer different color formats.
FAQ
Q: Which format should I use in CSS?
A: Modern CSS supports all formats. HEX is traditional and compact. HSL is recommended by many style guides because it is more human-readable and easier to create variations of. RGB is useful when you need alpha transparency (rgba()).
Q: Is there any visual difference between the formats?
A: No. HEX #FF6B35, RGB rgb(255, 107, 53), and HSL hsl(20, 100%, 60%) all describe the exact same color. The formats are just different ways to express the same value.
Q: What is the difference between HSL and HSV/HSB? A: HSL and HSV use the same hue scale but differ in how they handle brightness. In HSL, lightness 50% gives the purest color. In HSV, value 100% combined with full saturation gives the purest color. Most design tools use HSV (labeled as HSB), while CSS uses HSL.
Is my data safe?
Yes. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your data is never sent to our servers.