---
title: "Color converter: hex to RGB and HSL"
description: "Free color converter. Type or pick a hex color and get its RGB and HSL values, with a live swatch and a copy button for each format."
canonical: "https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/color-converter"
last_modified: "2026-10-27"
---

# Color converter

Source: https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/color-converter

Free color converter. Type or pick a hex color and get its RGB and HSL values, with a live swatch and a copy button for each format.

Type or pick a hex color and get the same color in RGB and HSL, with a live swatch, ready to copy into CSS, a design file or a brand sheet.

## How to use it

1. Type a 3- or 6-digit hex code, with or without the #, or click the swatch button to pick a color.
2. Check the big swatch to make sure it is the color you meant.
3. Copy the HEX, RGB or HSL value you need.

## Color converter FAQ

**What is the difference between HEX, RGB and HSL?**
They are three ways to write the same screen color. HEX and RGB are the same red, green and blue values in different notation. HSL is hue, saturation and lightness, which is easier to adjust by eye. Every modern browser accepts all three in CSS.

**Can it convert to CMYK for print?**
No. CMYK depends on the printer, the ink and the paper, so a simple formula gives a misleading answer. Ask your printer for their color profile, or let your design app convert with it.

**Why does my color look different on another screen?**
Screens differ in brightness, color range and calibration, and phones often warm their colors at night. A hex code is an exact instruction, but each screen carries it out a little differently, so check important colors on more than one device.

**What about 8-digit hex codes?**
The last two digits are transparency: #ff8a6580 is the same coral at about half opacity. Browsers accept them in CSS, but this converter reads 3- and 6-digit codes only.

**How do I use a hex color in a link or an SVG data URI?**
Encode the # as %23, or it cuts the link short: the [URL encoder](https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/url-encode-decode) does it for you. For an SVG inside CSS, encode the # the same way, or wrap the whole SVG with the [Base64 encoder](https://www.meadowdesk.com/tools/base64-encode-decode).