Color Picker & Converter
Pick any color and convert instantly between HEX, RGB, and HSL formats, free and private. Includes Tailwind CSS palette generation. No account needed — works instantly in your browser.
Color Selector
Color Formats
Tailored Palette
Click any shade to copy its Hex code.
What Is a Color Picker?
A color picker is a tool that lets you visually select a color and instantly convert it between all the formats used in web design — HEX, RGB, and HSL. Whether you are identifying a color from a reference, converting a client's brand color from HEX to RGB for CSS, or building a Tailwind CSS palette, a color picker eliminates the manual math and guarantees accurate conversion every time.
This tool runs entirely in your browser. No color data is ever sent to a server, and it works offline once the page loads. The automatic Tailwind palette generator also produces a full 10-step color scale from any base color — ready to paste directly into a Tailwind config file.
How to Use the Color Picker
- 1 Pick or enter a color.
Use the visual color picker to select a color, or type a known HEX, RGB, or HSL value directly into any input field. All formats update simultaneously.
- 2 Copy your converted value.
Click any converted value to copy it to your clipboard. Use HEX for standard CSS and design tools, RGB when you need an alpha channel, HSL for building color scales.
- 3 Generate a Tailwind palette.
The tool automatically generates a full 10-step color scale (50–950) from your selected base color, adjusting HSL lightness at each step for a balanced, accessible palette.
Who Is This For?
Web developers picking colors for CSS who need to quickly convert between formats — especially when a designer hands off a HEX value but the codebase uses HSL variables.
Designers converting colors between tools — translating Figma HEX values into RGB for CSS opacity layers, or identifying the HSL equivalent of a brand color.
Anyone who needs to identify or match a specific color code quickly — comparing two shades, checking brand color consistency, or generating a palette for a new project.
Key Benefits
No color values are ever sent to a server. Works offline after the initial page load.
No subscription, no sign-up, no usage limits. Convert colors and generate palettes freely.
Select a color and all formats appear instantly. No login, no saved sessions, no tracking.
Instantly generates a complete 10-step (50–950) color scale from any base color — unique to this tool and ready for your Tailwind config.
Understanding Color Formats
HEX Codes
A 6-character hexadecimal format (e.g. #FF5733). The standard in web development and design tools like Figma. Each pair of characters represents red, green, and blue on a 00–FF scale.
RGB(A)
Red, Green, Blue — three numbers from 0–255. The most useful format when you need to add an alpha (opacity) channel in CSS: rgba(255, 87, 51, 0.5).
HSL
Hue, Saturation, Lightness. The best format for design systems — you can create an entire color scale by keeping hue and saturation fixed while adjusting only the lightness value.
Common Use Cases
Brand color conversion
Convert a client's brand HEX color to RGB for CSS and HSL for building a complete tonal palette — all three formats in one step.
Tailwind CSS theme setup
Generate a full 10-step color scale from a single base color and paste it into your tailwind.config.js to extend the default palette with custom brand colors.
Design handoff translation
When a designer's Figma file uses HEX but your CSS codebase uses HSL custom properties, convert every color in seconds without manual calculation.
Accessibility contrast checking
Use HSL lightness values to quickly identify whether two colors have sufficient contrast for text readability — high lightness difference generally means better contrast.
Tailwind CSS Palette Generation
If you work with Tailwind CSS, you need an entire color scale — not just a single hex value. This tool generates an 11-step scale (50 to 950) from your selected base color by adjusting the HSL lightness value at each step. The result is a balanced scale with appropriate lightness increments for backgrounds, borders, active states, and text — ready to paste into your Tailwind config as a custom color.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HEX and RGB? ▼
Both represent the same color in the same color space — HEX is a 6-character code like #FF5733 used in CSS and web design; RGB is three numbers (R,G,B) each from 0–255 representing the red, green, and blue components. They are mathematically identical, just expressed in different notations. #FF5733 in HEX is rgb(255, 87, 51) in RGB.
Is this color picker free? ▼
Yes, completely free. All color conversion and palette generation happens in your browser — no data is sent to any server. No account is required and there are no usage limits.
What is HSL? ▼
HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, Lightness — an alternative way to describe color that is more intuitive for designers. Hue is the color wheel position in degrees (0–360), saturation is color intensity (0–100%), and lightness is how dark or light the color is (0–100%). HSL makes it easy to create color scales by adjusting just the lightness value while keeping hue and saturation constant.
Why does a color look different on screen vs in print? ▼
Screens use RGB — additive color mixing that starts from black and adds light. Printers use CMYK — subtractive color mixing that starts from white and absorbs light. The same HEX value may print noticeably differently because not all RGB colors have a direct CMYK equivalent. Bright, highly saturated digital colors are especially prone to printing duller than they appear on screen.
What is a Tailwind CSS color palette? ▼
Tailwind CSS uses a 10-step color scale (50 through 950) for each color. Each step represents a different lightness level — 50 is very light and 950 is very dark. This tool generates a full 10-step scale from any color you pick by mathematically adjusting the HSL lightness values, giving you a complete palette ready to paste into your Tailwind config.
Can I use this tool offline? ▼
Yes. After the page loads, all color conversion and palette generation works entirely in your browser with no internet connection required. You can disconnect from WiFi and the tool continues to function normally.
The tools and calculators provided on The Simple Toolbox are intended for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or professional advice. While we strive to keep calculations accurate, numbers are based on user inputs and standard assumptions that may not apply to your specific situation. Always consult with a certified professional (such as a CPA, financial advisor, or attorney) before making significant financial or business decisions.
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