What is the difference between HSL and HSB/HSV?

Both use Hue on the same 0-360 degree color wheel. The difference is in how they define the second and third values. In HSL, Lightness 50% is the pure hue, 0% is black, 100% is white. In HSB, Brightness 100% is the pure hue, 0% is black. Saturation also differs: HSL saturation at 100% lightness is undefined (white), while HSB saturation at 100% brightness gives the pure color. The result: the same numeric values in HSL and HSB produce different colors.

Why does my hex color look different in CMYK?

Hex and RGB describe colors in the additive RGB color space used by screens. CMYK is a subtractive color space used by printers. Many RGB colors, especially vivid blues and greens, fall outside the CMYK gamut and must be approximated. The tool gives you the closest mathematical conversion, but the printed result depends on your printer, paper, and ICC profile.

Should I use hex or RGB or HSL in my CSS?

All three produce the same result in the browser. Hex is the most compact. RGB is explicit about channel values. HSL is the most intuitive for adjusting colors: change Lightness for tints/shades, change Saturation for vibrancy, change Hue for color shifts. For color systems and theming, HSL is the most practical.

Does the tool support alpha (transparency)?

Yes. If you enter a hex value with 8 digits (e.g., #2D9CDB80) or an rgba/hsla value, the tool preserves and converts the alpha channel across formats. The alpha value is the same in all formats; only the color channels are converted.

What color space does this tool use?

sRGB, which is the standard color space for the web and most consumer displays. The tool does not handle Display P3, Adobe RGB, or other wide-gamut color spaces. If you are working with wide-gamut CSS colors (the color() function), the conversion requires a different mapping.

Is the CMYK conversion accurate for professional printing?

The conversion uses the standard mathematical formula without an ICC profile. For professional print work, the actual CMYK values depend on the printer, ink, and paper. The tool gives you a starting point. For final print-ready colors, use a color management tool with the correct ICC profile for your output device.

Color Format Converter

This tool converts a color from any supported format to all other formats in one step. Enter a hex code, RGB triplet, HSL value, HSB/HSV value, or CMYK value, and the tool outputs the equivalent in every other format with a live color preview. Everything runs in your browser. No data is sent to any server.

How this tool works

All color formats describe the same underlying information (a specific color) using different coordinate systems. The tool converts between them using standard mathematical transformations: Hex to RGB: Each pair of hex digits maps directly to a decimal channel value. #FF6B35 becomes R:255, G:107, B:53. The conversion is a base-16 to base-10 translation per channel.

Worked example

A brand orange at #FF5733 becomes rgb(255, 87, 51), hsl(11, 100%, 60%), and cmyk(0%, 66%, 80%, 0%) in one step. Copy the string your design tool or stylesheet needs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between HSL and HSB/HSV?
Both use Hue on the same 0-360 degree color wheel. The difference is in how they define the second and third values. In HSL, Lightness 50% is the pure hue, 0% is black, 100% is white. In HSB, Brightness 100% is the pure hue, 0% is black. Saturation also differs: HSL saturation at 100% lightness is undefined (white), while HSB saturation at 100% brightness gives the pure color. The result: the same numeric values in HSL and HSB produce different colors.
Why does my hex color look different in CMYK?
Hex and RGB describe colors in the additive RGB color space used by screens. CMYK is a subtractive color space used by printers. Many RGB colors, especially vivid blues and greens, fall outside the CMYK gamut and must be approximated. The tool gives you the closest mathematical conversion, but the printed result depends on your printer, paper, and ICC profile.
Should I use hex or RGB or HSL in my CSS?
All three produce the same result in the browser. Hex is the most compact. RGB is explicit about channel values. HSL is the most intuitive for adjusting colors: change Lightness for tints/shades, change Saturation for vibrancy, change Hue for color shifts. For color systems and theming, HSL is the most practical.
Does the tool support alpha (transparency)?
Yes. If you enter a hex value with 8 digits (e.g., #2D9CDB80) or an rgba/hsla value, the tool preserves and converts the alpha channel across formats. The alpha value is the same in all formats; only the color channels are converted.
What color space does this tool use?
sRGB, which is the standard color space for the web and most consumer displays. The tool does not handle Display P3, Adobe RGB, or other wide-gamut color spaces. If you are working with wide-gamut CSS colors (the color() function), the conversion requires a different mapping.
Is the CMYK conversion accurate for professional printing?
The conversion uses the standard mathematical formula without an ICC profile. For professional print work, the actual CMYK values depend on the printer, ink, and paper. The tool gives you a starting point. For final print-ready colors, use a color management tool with the correct ICC profile for your output device.