CATEGORY

Free Online Color Tools

Color tools handle the conversions and checks that come up constantly in design and front-end work — translating a HEX code from a design file into RGB for code, confirming a text/background pair actually meets accessibility standards, or building a gradient without hand-writing CSS syntax.

Color tools

Color Converter

Convert between HEX, RGB, and HSL.

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Image Color Picker

Click a pixel in a photo to get its hex/RGB value.

AA

Contrast Checker

Check WCAG text contrast ratios.

Gradient Generator

Build a CSS gradient visually.

Common uses

How to choose

Reach for the Color Converter when you have a color in one format and need it in another — a designer hands you a HEX swatch and your CSS variable file uses HSL, for instance. Use the Contrast Checker before shipping any text/background combination, not after; it's much cheaper to swap a color early than to discover an accessibility complaint post-launch. The Gradient Generator is for the opposite direction — starting from two or more colors and working out the CSS rather than starting from existing code. If you're doing a full design system audit, run every text/background pairing through the Contrast Checker rather than eyeballing it — colors that look "obviously readable" on a bright monitor sometimes fail the 4.5:1 threshold by a surprising margin.

Frequently asked questions

How is the contrast ratio calculated?

Using the WCAG relative luminance formula on both colors, producing a ratio between 1:1 and 21:1 — the same method browsers and accessibility auditing tools use.

What contrast ratio do I need to pass WCAG AA?

At least 4.5:1 for normal text, or 3:1 for large text (18pt+, or 14pt+ bold).

Can I copy the generated CSS directly into my stylesheet?

Yes — the Gradient Generator outputs ready-to-paste CSS background syntax.

Related categories

Image Tools Developer Tools