Free Online Color Picker – HEX, RGB & HSL Converter
Pick any color using our free online color picker and instantly get its HEX code, RGB values, and HSL representation. Our tool also generates a complete 6-shade palette from your chosen color — perfect for building consistent UI color systems, choosing brand colors, or exploring design options. Works on all browsers, no account needed.
HEX, RGB and HSL – Which Format Should You Use?
Colors in web design can be expressed in several formats, each with its own advantages. Understanding when to use each format will make you a more effective developer and designer.
HEX (Hexadecimal) is the most widely used color format in web development. A HEX color is a six-character string prefixed with a # sign, where each pair of characters represents the red, green, and blue components of the color in base-16 (hexadecimal) notation. For example, #FF0000 is pure red. HEX is compact, easy to copy and paste, and supported everywhere — in CSS, HTML, design tools, and code editors.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) defines colors by specifying the intensity of red, green, and blue light on a scale from 0 to 255. For example, rgb(255, 0, 0) is pure red. RGB is useful when you need to manipulate color values programmatically or work with transparency using rgba(), where the fourth value (alpha) controls opacity from 0 (transparent) to 1 (fully opaque).
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) is the most human-intuitive color model. Hue is a degree on the color wheel from 0 to 360 (0 is red, 120 is green, 240 is blue). Saturation and Lightness are percentages. HSL makes it easy to create color variations — for example, to make a color lighter you simply increase the lightness value. This makes HSL ideal for generating color palettes and accessible color systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert HEX to RGB?
Use this tool — enter your HEX value by clicking the color swatch and the RGB equivalent is shown instantly. Alternatively, split your HEX code into pairs (e.g., #1A2B3C → 1A, 2B, 3C) and convert each pair from hexadecimal to decimal (1A = 26, 2B = 43, 3C = 60), giving rgb(26, 43, 60).
What is a color palette?
A color palette is a set of related colors used consistently throughout a design. Our tool generates 6 shades of your chosen color — from lightest to darkest — giving you a ready-to-use palette for buttons, backgrounds, borders, text, and hover states.
How do I pick a good color for my website?
Start with a primary brand color that reflects your identity. Use HSL to create lighter variants for backgrounds and darker variants for text and interactive elements. Ensure sufficient contrast for accessibility — text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background.