Color Converter: Convert Between HEX, RGB, and HSL Formats

Working with colors across different tools and codebases means constantly switching between formats. Your designer hands you a HEX code, your CSS needs HSL for easy adjustments, and your JavaScript canvas API wants RGB. Manually converting between these formats is slow and error-prone.

Color Formats Explained

HEX

A six-character hexadecimal representation preceded by a hash symbol. Each pair of characters represents the red, green, and blue channels on a scale from 00 to FF.

#FF5733
 ││││││
 RR GG BB

• Range: #000000 (black) to #FFFFFF (white)
• Shorthand: #F53 expands to #FF5533
• Used in: CSS, HTML, design tools like Figma and Sketch, brand guidelines

RGB

Defines a color using three numeric values for red, green, and blue, each ranging from 0 to 255.

rgb(255, 87, 51)
     R    G   B

• Range: 0-255 per channel (16.7 million combinations)
• CSS syntax: rgb(255, 87, 51) or rgb(255 87 51)
• Used in: CSS, JavaScript Canvas API, image processing, LED programming

HSL

Describes color using hue (a degree on the color wheel), saturation (intensity), and lightness (brightness).

hsl(14, 100%, 60%)
     H    S     L

• Hue: 0-360 degrees (0 = red, 120 = green, 240 = blue)
• Saturation: 0% (gray) to 100% (full color)
• Lightness: 0% (black) to 100% (white), 50% is pure color
• Used in: CSS theming, color manipulation, creating tints and shades programmatically

Why HSL is Useful for Design

HSL is the most intuitive format for making color adjustments because each value maps to a concept humans understand:

• Want a lighter shade? Increase lightness.
• Want a muted version? Decrease saturation.
• Want a completely different hue? Change only the hue value.

With HEX or RGB, creating a lighter version of #6750A4 requires calculating new values for all three channels. With HSL, you simply increase the lightness percentage.

Base:    hsl(261, 34%, 48%)
Lighter: hsl(261, 34%, 68%)   /* Just changed 48% to 68% */
Muted:   hsl(261, 15%, 48%)   /* Just changed 34% to 15% */

How to Use Our Color Converter

1. Enter a color in any format (HEX, RGB, or HSL) in the input field
2. See all formats update instantly with live preview
3. View the color swatch to confirm the result visually
4. Copy the format you need with one click

The converter validates your input in real time and shows the equivalent values across all three formats simultaneously.

Practical Use Cases

Building a CSS Theme

Start with a brand color in HEX, convert to HSL, then generate your entire palette by adjusting lightness values:

--primary:       hsl(261, 34%, 48%);
--primary-light: hsl(261, 34%, 65%);
--primary-dark:  hsl(261, 34%, 32%);

Matching Colors Across Tools

Your design tool exports HEX, but you need RGB for a canvas-based animation. Paste the HEX value and grab the RGB output without mental math.

Debugging CSS

When inspecting elements in browser DevTools, colors may display in different formats depending on the property. Converting between formats helps you verify that two seemingly different values actually represent the same color.

Accessibility Adjustments

Need to darken a background to meet contrast requirements? Convert to HSL, reduce the lightness, then convert back to HEX for your stylesheet.

Conversion Reference

HEX	RGB	HSL
#FF0000	rgb(255, 0, 0)	hsl(0, 100%, 50%)
#00FF00	rgb(0, 255, 0)	hsl(120, 100%, 50%)
#0000FF	rgb(0, 0, 255)	hsl(240, 100%, 50%)
#FFFFFF	rgb(255, 255, 255)	hsl(0, 0%, 100%)
#808080	rgb(128, 128, 128)	hsl(0, 0%, 50%)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which format should I use in CSS? HEX is the most common for static colors. HSL is best when you need to create variations (tints, shades, hover states) because you can adjust a single value. RGB is useful when you need alpha transparency via rgba().

What about alpha transparency? HEX supports 8-digit notation (#FF573380 for 50% opacity). RGB and HSL support it with rgba() and hsla() syntax, or the modern rgb(255 87 51 / 50%) format.

Are HEX and RGB the same thing? They represent the same color model (RGB) but in different notations. HEX uses base-16 numbers while RGB uses base-10. #FF is equivalent to 255, #00 is equivalent to 0.

Why does my color look different on another screen? Color rendering depends on display calibration, color profiles, and viewing conditions. The color values are identical; the hardware interpretation varies.

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Try our free Color Converter to convert between HEX, RGB, and HSL formats instantly.