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.