Color Converter: HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, and LAB—Explained

Created on 9 November, 2025 • Converter Tools • 0 views • 1 minutes read

Convert between HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, and LAB with confidence. This guide explains color spaces, accessibility, and developer best practices for reliable, brand-true color on web and print.

Why Color Conversion Matters for Designers and Developers

Color values travel across screens, printers, and formats. A color converter lets you translate a single brand color—say #1e90ff—into RGB for canvas work, HSL for theme tweaking, CMYK for printing, and LAB for perceptual comparisons. Without correct conversion, you risk dull logos, inaccessible contrasts, and inconsistent UIs.

Understanding the Most Common Color Spaces

HEX and RGB (for screens)

1. HEX is a compact hex-encoded RGB: #RRGGBB.
2. RGB uses additive light (0–255 per channel). Great for CSS, canvas, and graphics programming.

HSL and HSV (for UI theming)

1. HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) makes tints/shades straightforward—ideal for theming.
2. HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) is handy for pickers but less uniform perceptually.

CMYK and Spot Colors (for print)

1. CMYK is subtractive (ink). Values vary by printer profile and paper. Always proof with ICC profiles.
2. Pantone/spot colors ensure strict brand fidelity; convert thoughtfully and check swatches.

LAB and LCH (for accuracy)

1. LAB approximates human vision; ΔE (delta-E) measures differences.
2. LCH (Lightness, Chroma, Hue) is LAB in polar form—good for generating perceptually even palettes.

Best Practices for Reliable Conversion

Manage Color Profiles and Context

1. Work in sRGB for the web unless you intentionally target Display-P3 or Adobe RGB.
2. When converting to CMYK, specify the print profile (e.g., FOGRA39, U.S. Web Coated SWOP) to avoid muddy output.

Accessibility and Contrast

1. Test WCAG contrast ratios (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large).
2. Use HSL/LCH to nudge lightness while preserving hue for accessible states.

Developer Tips

1. Store a single source of truth (e.g., HEX in tokens), then derive RGB/HSL on build.
2. Round to sensible precision; tiny rounding errors can accumulate across tools.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

1. Profile mismatch: Colors look different on mobile vs desktop—standardize on sRGB.
2. Printing surprises: Always soft-proof CMYK conversions with the correct ICC.
3. Inaccessible contrasts: Don’t rely on visual judgement; test programmatically.