Utilities February 21, 2025 · ~5 min read

Color Picker & HEX to RGB Converter: Everything You Need

Colors are everywhere in design, development, and branding. This guide explains HEX, RGB, and HSL color formats, when to use each, and how our free Color Picker instantly converts between all three.

Understanding Color Formats

  • HEX (#RRGGBB): 6-digit hex code. Most used in web design and CSS. Example: #0ea5e9 = sky blue.
  • RGB (r, g, b): Three values 0–255 for Red, Green, Blue. Used in CSS and image editors. Example: rgb(14, 165, 233)
  • HSL (h, s%, l%): Hue, Saturation, Lightness. Most intuitive — great for creating color variations.
💡 When to Use Which:
• HEX — CSS stylesheets, copying between tools
• RGB — JavaScript/Canvas image manipulation
• HSL — Creating shades by adjusting lightness

How to Use the Color Picker

1Open the Color Picker & Converter.
2Use the native color picker or type a HEX code directly.
3See HEX, RGB, and HSL equivalents update instantly.
4Click any value to copy to clipboard.
5Save colors to swatches via localStorage for future reference.

FAQ

How do I get the HEX code of a color on my screen?

Use your browser's DevTools (inspect → click color swatch in CSS panel) or install the ColorZilla extension for Chrome/Firefox. On macOS, the Digital Color Meter app reads any screen color.

What's an 8-digit HEX code?

8-digit HEX includes opacity: #RRGGBBAA. The last two digits represent alpha (00 = transparent, FF = opaque). Alternatively, use rgba() in CSS for compatibility.

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