Color Code Converter
Convert colors between HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV/HSB, and CMYK in real time. Pick a color, tweak the sliders, and copy any format with one click.
Finding This Color Converter Useful?
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Get the Standalone VersionWhat Is a Color Code Converter?
A Color Code Converter translates a color value from one notation to another. The same visual color can be written as #F97316 (HEX), rgb(249, 115, 22) (RGB), hsl(24, 95%, 53%) (HSL), or in several other formats. Different tools and contexts expect different notations: CSS uses HEX, RGB and HSL; print design uses CMYK; some graphics applications use HSV or HSB. This converter shows all of them at once and keeps them synchronised, so you never have to convert by hand.
Key Features
Five Formats at Once
HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV/HSB, and CMYK are displayed simultaneously and stay in sync.
Bidirectional Editing
Type a HEX code, drag the R/G/B sliders, or use the native color picker — every input updates every output.
Live Preview
A large swatch shows the exact color as you change it, with the luminance value for reference.
WCAG Contrast Check
The contrast ratio against white is calculated and checked against AA and AAA thresholds for normal and large text.
One-Click Copy
Each format has its own copy button, plus Copy all formats for the whole set as text.
Nothing Leaves Your Browser
No server, no analytics, no logging. Every conversion runs in JavaScript on your device.
How to Use the Color Code Converter
- Pick a color — click the color swatch to open your system picker, or type a HEX code directly.
- Or adjust the sliders — drag the R, G and B channels to fine-tune the color.
- Read the formats — HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV and CMYK update instantly as you change anything.
- Check accessibility — the WCAG contrast section tells you whether white text on this color meets AA or AAA.
- Copy what you need — use the copy button on any format, or Copy all formats to grab the whole set.
Practical Use Cases
Web Design
Convert a designer’s HEX value into HSL for easier lightness adjustments, or into RGBA for opacity.
Print Preparation
Get the approximate CMYK values for a digital color before sending it to a print shop.
Brand Consistency
See how a brand color looks in every notation so you can apply it correctly across tools.
Accessibility Testing
Verify that text and background colors meet WCAG contrast requirements before shipping a design.
Development
Grab the right format for CSS, Canvas, SVG, or a design token in seconds.
Learning Color Theory
Understand the relationship between RGB, HSL and HSV by watching them change together.
Important Notes and Limitations
A few honest caveats:
• CMYK is an approximation. The CMYK values are calculated mathematically from RGB and do not account for a specific printer’s ink profile, paper stock, or colour management settings. Use them as a starting point, not as a print-ready value. Real CMYK conversion depends on the ICC profile of the target device.
• HSL and HSV are not the same. HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, Lightness; HSV (also called HSB) stands for Hue, Saturation, Value. Both describe the same colour family but scale brightness differently. HSL lightness of 50% is not the same as HSV value of 50%.
• Alpha (transparency) is not supported. This tool works with opaque colours only. If you need to convert an RGBA value, drop the alpha channel, convert the RGB part, and reattach the alpha value.
• The WCAG contrast check assumes white text. If you are checking black text on this color, the ratio will be different. To check black-on-color, invert the color, run the check, and use the result — the ratio for white-on-X is the same as black-on-inverse(X).
• Named CSS colors are not enumerated. This tool focuses on numeric formats. If you need to map a named CSS colour (like rebeccapurple) to its HEX value, look it up separately — the CSS specification lists about 150 of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both use a hue angle (0–360°) and a saturation percentage, but they handle brightness differently. In HSL, lightness 0% is black and 100% is white, with the pure hue at 50%. In HSV (also called HSB), value 0% is black and 100% is the full-brightness hue. HSV is common in graphics software; HSL is preferred in CSS because its lightness component maps more intuitively to how designers think about tints and shades.
Because CMYK conversion depends on the output device. A CMYK value that looks correct on one printer may look different on another, and the exact conversion depends on the ICC profile of the target press. The formula used here is a simple mathematical approximation that ignores ink profiles. Use it as a rough guide, and always rely on your printer’s software for final print preparation.
It is a measure of how distinguishable two colours are, on a scale from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (maximum, black on white). WCAG 2.1 specifies minimum ratios: 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold) at level AA. Level AAA raises these to 7:1 and 4.5:1. Text that fails AA is hard to read for many users, including those with low vision or colour vision deficiencies.
Yes. The tool accepts both the 3-digit shorthand (#F90) and the full 6-digit form (#FF9900), and also the 8-digit form with alpha. The 3-digit shorthand is expanded by doubling each character, so #F90 becomes #FF9900. Alpha channels are ignored in the conversion — the tool works with opaque colours only.
No. The entire tool runs in JavaScript in your browser. There is no network request, no analytics, and no logging. You can verify this by opening your browser’s network panel while using the tool — nothing is sent. The standalone edition works completely offline.
About the Author — GenieDevs
Get the Standalone Version
Color Code Converter — Standalone Edition
One self-contained HTML file with the full converter inside. Keep it on your machine, run it from a USB stick, or use it on an air-gapped computer — no internet connection needed.
Final Takeaway
Colour is one of the most direct ways to communicate in design, and yet the languages we use to describe it are fragmented. A HEX value from a designer needs to become RGB for code, HSL for adjustment, CMYK for print. This converter collapses all of those into one page: pick a colour, see every notation at once, check its accessibility, and copy the format you need. It runs entirely in your browser, updates in real time, and never sends a byte over the network.