Does the image get uploaded to a server?

No. The tool reads the image file locally using the browser's File API and processes it using the Canvas API entirely in your browser memory. The pixel data never leaves your device. This matters when working with proprietary product photography, internal screenshots, or client assets that should not be shared externally.

How many colors should I extract?

For most images, 6-8 colors captures the dominant palette without returning too many near-identical values. For complex illustrations or photographs with wide tonal range, 10-12 gives more coverage. For logos and flat-color icons, 3-5 is usually sufficient. Test with your actual input data before deploying; edge cases often behave differently than expected with real-world content.

Why do similar images return slightly different palettes?

The median-cut algorithm is deterministic but sensitive to image content. Resizing, compression artifacts, and lighting differences between two \\\\\\\"similar\\\\\\\" photos change which pixels fall into each bucket. For consistent brand color extraction, use the same reference image each time.

Why are the extracted colors sometimes not exactly matching the colors I see?

The algorithm averages colors within each cluster. A bucket containing pixels ranging from deep blue to medium blue will produce a mid-range blue as its representative color. For pixel-perfect color matching on a specific element, use the browser's DevTools color picker or the operating system's color picker tool to sample individual pixels.

What is the difference between this and a color picker?

A color picker samples one pixel at a time. This tool analyzes the entire image and returns the most statistically significant colors across all pixels. Use a color picker for exact per-pixel sampling. Use this tool for extracting the overall palette.

Can I use extracted colors directly in Tailwind or CSS variables?

Yes. Copy the hex values and define them as CSS custom properties (-color-brand-blue: #2A6BB5) or add them to your tailwind.config.js theme extension. The Contrast Ratio Checker can verify that text using these colors meets WCAG accessibility requirements.

Color Palette Extractor

This tool extracts the dominant colors from any image you upload and returns them as a palette of hex, RGB, and HSL values you can copy directly into your project. Upload a photo, logo, screenshot, or design asset and the tool identifies the most visually significant colors in under a second. The image never leaves your browser. No upload to any server, no account required.

Image source

Upload image

Or image URL

Colors to extractCountry

Ignore near-whiteIgnore near-blackShow color names

Color extraction depends on source image quality and compression. For brand work, verify the final hex values in your design file.

How this tool works

Color extraction works by sampling the pixel data from your image and grouping similar colors using a clustering algorithm. The tool reads the image into an HTML5 Canvas element, then accesses the raw pixel data via CanvasRenderingContext2D.getImageData(). This returns an array of RGBA values for every pixel in the image. The default extraction algorithm uses a median-cut approach:

Worked example

Upload a logo on white background with ignore white enabled. The output keeps the brand colors, removes paper background noise, and gives ready to paste CSS variables.

Frequently asked questions

Does the image get uploaded to a server?
No. The tool reads the image file locally using the browser's File API and processes it using the Canvas API entirely in your browser memory. The pixel data never leaves your device. This matters when working with proprietary product photography, internal screenshots, or client assets that should not be shared externally.
How many colors should I extract?
For most images, 6-8 colors captures the dominant palette without returning too many near-identical values. For complex illustrations or photographs with wide tonal range, 10-12 gives more coverage. For logos and flat-color icons, 3-5 is usually sufficient. Test with your actual input data before deploying; edge cases often behave differently than expected with real-world content.
Why do similar images return slightly different palettes?
The median-cut algorithm is deterministic but sensitive to image content. Resizing, compression artifacts, and lighting differences between two \\\\\\\"similar\\\\\\\" photos change which pixels fall into each bucket. For consistent brand color extraction, use the same reference image each time.
Why are the extracted colors sometimes not exactly matching the colors I see?
The algorithm averages colors within each cluster. A bucket containing pixels ranging from deep blue to medium blue will produce a mid-range blue as its representative color. For pixel-perfect color matching on a specific element, use the browser's DevTools color picker or the operating system's color picker tool to sample individual pixels.
What is the difference between this and a color picker?
A color picker samples one pixel at a time. This tool analyzes the entire image and returns the most statistically significant colors across all pixels. Use a color picker for exact per-pixel sampling. Use this tool for extracting the overall palette.
Can I use extracted colors directly in Tailwind or CSS variables?
Yes. Copy the hex values and define them as CSS custom properties (-color-brand-blue: #2A6BB5) or add them to your tailwind.config.js theme extension. The Contrast Ratio Checker can verify that text using these colors meets WCAG accessibility requirements.