How to find the RGB value of any colour
- Tap or drag on the example photo, or press Use your own photo to open one from your phone or computer. You can also drag a picture onto the page, or paste a screenshot.
- Keep your finger on the photo and a magnifier shows the pixels underneath, so you can pick out exactly the one you want, even on a thin line.
- The RGB value and the hex code appear at the top, in a box of that colour. Press the copy button beside either one.
No photo? Use the colour wheel. Going round the wheel changes the hue, moving towards the middle makes the colour less intense, and the Lightness slider takes it towards black or white. The RGB and hex codes follow as you go.
What an RGB value is
Every colour on a screen is a mix of red, green and blue light. An RGB value gives the amount of each as a number from 0 (none) to 255 (full): rgb(255, 0, 0) is pure red, rgb(0, 0, 0) is black and rgb(255, 255, 255) is white. That makes 256 × 256 × 256 = 16,777,216 possible colours.
What a hex colour code is
A hex code is the same three numbers written in hexadecimal, two characters each after a #: #RRGGBB. Hexadecimal counts 0 to 9 and then A to F, so 00 is 0 and FF is 255. #FF0000 is red, and the short form #F80 means #FF8800. Websites, design apps and most colour pickers ask for hex codes.
Hex to RGB, and RGB to hex
Type a hex code into the HEX box, or three numbers into the RGB box, and the finder converts it and shows the colour. To do it by hand, split the hex code into pairs and turn each into a number from 0 to 255. For #1D7A95: 1D = 1×16 + 13 = 29, 7A = 7×16 + 10 = 122, 95 = 9×16 + 5 = 149, so it is rgb(29, 122, 149).
RGB values and hex codes of common colours
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Black | #000000 | 0, 0, 0 |
| White | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 |
| Red | #FF0000 | 255, 0, 0 |
| Lime | #00FF00 | 0, 255, 0 |
| Blue | #0000FF | 0, 0, 255 |
| Yellow | #FFFF00 | 255, 255, 0 |
| Cyan | #00FFFF | 0, 255, 255 |
| Magenta | #FF00FF | 255, 0, 255 |
| Silver | #C0C0C0 | 192, 192, 192 |
| Grey | #808080 | 128, 128, 128 |
| Maroon | #800000 | 128, 0, 0 |
| Olive | #808000 | 128, 128, 0 |
| Green | #008000 | 0, 128, 0 |
| Purple | #800080 | 128, 0, 128 |
| Teal | #008080 | 0, 128, 128 |
| Navy | #000080 | 0, 0, 128 |
| Orange | #FFA500 | 255, 165, 0 |
| Gold | #FFD700 | 255, 215, 0 |
| Pink | #FFC0CB | 255, 192, 203 |
| Coral | #FF7F50 | 255, 127, 80 |
| Brown | #A52A2A | 165, 42, 42 |
| Beige | #F5F5DC | 245, 245, 220 |
| Sky blue | #87CEEB | 135, 206, 235 |
| Turquoise | #40E0D0 | 64, 224, 208 |
| Indigo | #4B0082 | 75, 0, 130 |
| Lavender | #E6E6FA | 230, 230, 250 |
These are the standard web colour names. Tap a row to open that colour in the finder.
Questions
How do I find the RGB value of a colour in a photo?
Press “Use your own photo” and choose the picture, then tap or drag on the colour you want. Its RGB value and hex code appear at the top, in a box of that colour. Hold your finger down and a magnifier shows the pixels underneath, so you can pick out exactly the one you want.
How do I get the hex code of a colour in an image?
The same way: open the image and tap the colour. The hex code is shown beside the RGB value, and the copy button next to it copies it, ready to paste into a website, design app or document.
Why does the same colour give different RGB values in different photos?
A photo records the light that reached the camera, so daylight, lamps, shadow, the camera and its processing all change the numbers. The finder gives the exact value of the pixel you tap, in that photo. For the truest reading, take the photo in daylight without flash and pick from an evenly lit part, not a highlight or a shadow.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The photo is opened and read by your browser, on your own phone or computer. It is not sent to us or to anyone else.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. It works in the browser on any up-to-date phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install. If an iPhone HEIC photo will not open, use a JPEG copy of it or a screenshot.
What is the difference between RGB and hex?
None, apart from how it is written. Both give the amounts of red, green and blue: RGB as three numbers from 0 to 255, hex as three pairs of characters. rgb(47, 187, 224) and #2FBBE0 are the same colour.
Can I get a CMYK value for printing?
The finder gives screen colours, RGB and hex. A CMYK value depends on the printer’s inks and paper, so there is no single right conversion; give your printer the hex code and ask them to match it.
Is it colour or color?
Both: colour is the British spelling and color the American. The codes are the same either way, and in web code (CSS) it is always written color.
The RGB Colour Finder is free, from the International Colour Registry.