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Color Formats Explained

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See any color in every technical format — HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, CMYK, XYZ, LAB, LUV, CAM16, Munsell and more — with plain-English explanations.

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Quick Features

  • 15+ format representations of one color
  • Grouped by real-world use: web, print, video, science
  • Wide-gamut previews (Adobe RGB, ProPhoto, Rec. 2020)
  • Plain-English notes on every format
  • One-click copy per value

How to use Color Formats Explained

1

Enter a color

Type a hex, rgb(), or any color value.

2

Read every format

See the color in all major representations, grouped by use case.

3

Copy what you need

Click any value to copy it, or read the 'why so many formats' guide.

Why choose this tool

  • Completely free — no signup or hidden limits
  • Runs 100% in your browser — your data stays private
  • Instant results, no downloads or installs
  • Works on any device with a modern browser

Common Use Cases

  • Learn the difference between RGB, HSL and HSV
  • Get CMYK values for print work
  • Explain lab and xyz spaces to teammates or students
  • Compare how the same color appears in different color spaces

Technical Details

Formats: HEX, RGB, HSL, HSV, HWB, CMYK, XYZ, LAB, LUV, HSI, YUV, YCbCr, CAM16, DIN99, Munsell
Wide gamut: Adobe RGB, ProPhoto RGB, Rec. 2020
Processing: 100% client-side
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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between RGB and CMYK?

RGB is additive light for screens. CMYK is subtractive ink for print. Same visual color, different math.

Why do designers prefer HSL?

HSL lets you adjust hue, saturation and lightness independently, which makes creating tints, shades and hover states straightforward.

What are XYZ and LAB?

They're device-independent color spaces. XYZ is the mathematical basis for all colorimetry; LAB arranges colors the way humans perceive them, which makes it ideal for measuring color difference (ΔE).

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All color formats at a glance

Every representation of this color, grouped by where it's actually used.

HEX — HTML / CSS / design tools

#92140c

RGB — Screens & pixels

rgb(146, 20, 12)

HSL — Intuitive for UI tinting

hsl(4.0, 85.0%, 31.0%)

HSV / HSB — What pickers use

hsv(4.0, 92.0%, 57.0%)

HWB — Whiteness/blackness

hwb(4.0, 5.0%, 43.0%)

CMYK — Print & ink

cmyk(0.0%, 86.0%, 92.0%, 43.0%)

XYZ — Device-independent

xyz(0.12, 0.07, 0.01)

LAB — Perceptual color

lab(30.97, 49.56, 39.27)

LUV — Perceptual (CIE 1976)

luv(30.97, 91.20, 21.14)

HSI — Intensity model

hsi(4.0, 80.0%, 23.0%)

YUV — Video (BT.601)

yuv(0.22, -0.09, 0.31)

YCbCr — JPEG / video

ycbcr(65.00, 106.00, 184.00)

CAM16 — Modern color appearance

j=47.79, c=147.82, h=38.39

DIN99 — Modified LAB for ΔE

L99=42.03, a99=28.15, b99=8.12

Munsell — Artist's color notation

10YR 3/12

Wide-gamut spaces (HEX approximations)
Adobe RGB — Photo editing (D50)

#7d1b14

ProPhoto RGB — Maximal RGB gamut

#582716

Rec. 2020 — HDR / UHDTV

#691d0a

Why so many formats?

Web (HEX · RGB · HSL · HSV · HWB)

CSS and design tools all speak these. HSL/HSV are ideal for adjusting lightness or saturation mathematically.

Print (CMYK)

Ink percentages for printers. Converting web colors to CMYK gets you close, but professional print still needs soft-proofing.

Video (YUV · YCbCr)

Luma + chroma encoding used by JPEG, MPEG and broadcast. YCbCr is what cameras and video pipelines actually carry.

Scientific (XYZ · LAB · LUV · CAM16 · DIN99)

Device-independent spaces used for colorimetry, quality control and color-difference math (ΔE). LAB is the workhorse of color science.

Munsell

The classic artist's notation — hue, value (lightness) and chroma — used by fine artists and conservators.

Wide gamut (Adobe · ProPhoto · Rec. 2020)

Bigger RGB spaces for photography and HDR. Converting sRGB into them is lossless; the reverse may clip.