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Colour Converter & Contrast Checker
Pick or paste a colour to get it in HEX, RGB, HSL and CMYK, a ready-made scale of tints and shades, and a contrast score against any background to check your text is readable.
#0E7490rgb(14, 116, 144)hsl(193, 82%, 31%)90%, 19%, 0%, 44%Tints & shades
Contrast check
5.36:1
Large heading
Body text at normal size should reach at least 4.5:1 to be comfortable to read.
Why contrast matters
Low-contrast text, like light grey on white, is hard to read for many people, and for everyone on a bright phone screen. Checking contrast is one of the quickest wins for making a website, poster or presentation readable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What contrast ratio do I need for readable text?
WCAG level AA asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (about 24px, or 19px bold). Level AAA asks for 7:1 for normal text. Higher is easier to read, especially on phones outdoors.
Is the CMYK value accurate for printing?
It's a straight mathematical conversion and a good starting point. Real print colours depend on the printer, ink and paper (the colour profile), so for brand-critical printing ask your printer for a proof.
What's the difference between HEX and RGB?
They're the same colour written two ways. #0E7490 is red 14, green 116, blue 144 written in hexadecimal. HSL describes the same colour as hue, saturation and lightness, which is easier to tweak by hand.
How are the tints and shades made?
They keep the colour's hue and saturation and step the lightness from very light to very dark, which gives an even scale you can use for backgrounds, borders and hover states.