What is the difference between HSL and HSV?

HSL (Lightness) and HSV (Value) use the same Hue/Saturation model but differ in brightness representation. HSL goes from black through color to white (midpoint is the pure color). HSV goes from black to the pure color (value=100 is the brightest form of that hue). HSL is preferred in CSS and design tools; HSV is common in image editors.

How accurate is the HEX to CMYK conversion?

HEX/RGB (screen/light-based) to CMYK (print/ink-based) is approximate since they use different color models. RGB values outside the CMYK gamut will be compressed to the nearest printable equivalent. For print-critical work, use a physical CMYK swatch book.

Is this color converter free to use?

Yes. The color converter is completely free with no sign-up, no limits, and no ads. All processing happens in your browser for instant results.

Can I save colors for later use?

Yes. Use the color picker's favorites feature to save up to 8 colors. Your favorites and recent colors are saved to your browser's local storage and persist between visits. You can also copy any format value with Ctrl+C.

Color Converter | HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK | Free Online Tool

Supported Color Formats

Every major color format used in web design, graphic design, and print production.

HEX

The web standard. 6-character hexadecimal preceded by #. Used in CSS, HTML, and every design tool. Supports 16.7 million colors. Example: #6366F1

RGB

Red, Green, Blue channels (0-255). The native format of screens and digital cameras. CSS function: rgb(99, 102, 241)

HSL

Hue (0-360°), Saturation (0-100%), Lightness (0-100%). Intuitive for designers. Tweak lightness without shifting hue. CSS: hsl(239, 84%, 67%)

HSV / HSB

Hue, Saturation, Value (Brightness). Common in image editors like Photoshop. Value represents the brightest form of a hue rather than light/dark mix.

CMYK

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black), the print standard. 0-100% per channel. Used in offset printing, packaging design, and professional print workflows.

When to Use Each Format

Different color formats serve different purposes. Here's when to use which.

Web Development & CSS

Use HEX or HSL. HEX is the most compact and universally supported format. HSL is preferred for dynamic theming because you can adjust lightness and saturation independently. Modern CSS also supports RGB with alpha via rgba() for transparent colors.

Graphic & UI Design

Use HSL or HSV in design tools. HSV/HSB is the native picker in Photoshop, GIMP, and Affinity. It maps naturally to how artists think about color (hue wheel + brightness). HSL is standard in Figma, Sketch, and browser DevTools color pickers.

Print & Production

CMYK is the only format that matters for print. Converting from RGB/HEX to CMYK is an approximation, some bright screen colors cannot be reproduced in print. Always preview CMYK values before sending artwork to a commercial printer. For color-critical print work, use a physical Pantone swatch book.

Game Development & Shaders

Game engines typically use RGB with float values (0.0-1.0) or HEX. Unity and Unreal accept HEX strings, while shader code uses normalized RGB vectors. HSL can be useful for procedural color generation in shaders.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The converter handles five major formats: HEX (#RRGGBB), RGB (0-255 per channel), HSL (Hue/Saturation/Lightness), HSV (Hue/Saturation/Value), and CMYK (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Key). Enter a value in any format and all others update instantly. You can also use the built-in color picker for visual selection.

Both use the same Hue and Saturation model but differ in how they represent brightness. HSL (Lightness) maps colors from black (0%) through the pure hue (50%) to white (100%). HSV (Value/Brightness) maps from black (0%) to the brightest form of the pure hue (100%). HSL is standard in CSS and web design; HSV is common in Photoshop, GIMP, and image editors. Use HSL for design systems and CSS, HSV for image manipulation.

HEX/RGB (screen/light-based) to CMYK (print/ink-based) conversion is inherently approximate because the two color models have different gamuts. RGB colors outside the printable CMYK range will be mapped to the nearest reproducible equivalent. This converter uses standard RGB-to-CMYK transformation suitable for most digital-to-print workflows. For color-critical print projects, always verify colors against a physical CMYK or Pantone swatch book.

Yes, completely free. No sign-up required, no usage limits, no watermarks or ads. All conversion happens client-side in your browser, so your colors never leave your device. The tool is part of Geometry Labs' free toolkit for designers and developers.

Yes. The color picker includes a favorites system that stores up to 8 colors in your browser's local storage, they persist between visits. Recent colors are automatically tracked too. Individual format values can be copied to clipboard with the copy button next to each field.

HEX colors use a 6-character hexadecimal code prefixed with #. Each pair represents red, green, and blue channels (00 to FF). For example, #6366F1 means red=99 (63 hex), green=102 (66), blue=241 (F1). The converter also accepts 3-character shorthand HEX like #F00 for #FF0000. The input is case-insensitive.

Yes. The color converter is fully responsive and works on all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on desktop, tablet, and mobile. The color picker is touch-friendly with full touch event support for the hue slider and saturation/value area.