Color converter
Paste a color in HEX, RGB or HSL and get it converted right away into all the other formats (CMYK included), with a large preview and one-click copy.
The CMYK value is an approximate conversion: how it actually prints depends on your print shop's color profile.
HEX, RGB and HSL: when to use each format
HEX (e.g. #ff8a5c) is the most compact format and the de facto standard in
CSS stylesheets and design software. RGB spells out the amounts of red, green and blue from
0 to 255, which comes in handy when you need transparency (RGBA) or you're working with
canvas elements and images. HSL (hue, saturation, lightness) is the most intuitive for
building variations: just raise or lower the lightness to get lighter or darker versions of
the same color, perfect for hover states, borders and matching backgrounds.
Why CMYK is only an approximation
Screens emit light (additive RGB color), while paper reflects it (subtractive CMYK): the two color spaces simply don't line up. Very saturated or very bright colors you see on a monitor often can't be reproduced in print. The CMYK value calculated here is the standard mathematical conversion, great for getting a feel or preparing a draft, but for professional print jobs you should always double-check it against the ICC profile provided by your printer.