Skip to main content

rgb-hex

An RGB to hex converter translates color values between the three common formats β€” RGB triplets like rgb(255, 136, 0), hex codes like #FF8800, and HSL like hsl(32, 100%, 50%) β€” used by CSS, design tools, and image-processing pipelines. The ZTools RGB/Hex Converter live-renders the color as you type, supports the alpha channel for transparency (rgba and 8-digit hex), recognizes 140+ named CSS colors (dodgerblue, aliceblue, etc.), and shows the same color in all three formats side-by-side so you can copy whichever your downstream tool expects.

Use cases​

Pasting brand colors into different tools​

Brand book lists "#1E3A8A". Your design tool wants RGB. The converter gives rgb(30, 58, 138). Copy and paste β€” done.

Translating between CSS and image-editor color pickers​

Photoshop uses RGB sliders; CSS uses hex. Convert between them without manually typing six characters and hoping you got it right.

Building gradients and color-themed UI​

Need 5 evenly-spaced colors between two endpoints? Convert each endpoint to HSL, interpolate hue/lightness, convert back to hex.

Accessibility checks​

Compute the contrast ratio between two hex colors. The converter feeds into the Contrast Checker tool for full WCAG compliance verification.

How it works​

  1. Enter a color in any format β€” Hex (#FF8800 or #F80), RGB (255, 136, 0), HSL (32, 100%, 50%), or a named CSS color (orange, dodgerblue).
  2. Live color preview β€” The page background or a swatch tile shows the actual color so you can see what you're working with.
  3. Read all formats simultaneously β€” Hex (3-digit and 6-digit), RGB, RGBA, HSL, HSLA, and the closest named CSS color. Click any to copy.
  4. Optional alpha channel β€” Adjust the alpha (transparency) slider to see rgba() and 8-digit hex (#FF8800CC) variants.

Examples​

Input: #FF8800

Output: rgb(255, 136, 0) | hsl(32, 100%, 50%) | nearest CSS name: darkorange


Input: rgb(30, 58, 138)

Output: #1E3A8A | hsl(225, 64%, 33%)


Input: hsl(0, 100%, 50%)

Output: #FF0000 | rgb(255, 0, 0) | red (CSS named)

Frequently asked questions​

How does hex relate to RGB?

Each pair of hex digits is one channel: red, green, blue. #FF8800 = R:0xFF (255), G:0x88 (136), B:0x00 (0). Use the Number Base Converter for the hex math.

What's the difference between #F80 and #FF8800?

CSS short hex (#F80) expands to long form (#FF8800) by repeating each digit. So #F80 = #FF8800 = same color. Short form is just shorter to type.

When should I use HSL instead of RGB?

HSL is friendlier for human reasoning: hue is what color (0-360Β°), saturation is how vivid (0-100%), lightness is how bright (0-100%). To make a color "more red", change hue. RGB requires changing R and adjusting G/B inversely.

How does alpha (transparency) work?

Alpha 1.0 (or 255) = fully opaque. Alpha 0 = fully transparent. In hex 8-digit form, the last two digits are alpha: #FF8800CC has alpha 0xCC = 204 β‰ˆ 80% opaque.

Are CSS named colors universal?

The CSS Level 3 specification defines 140+ named colors (red, blue, dodgerblue, etc.). Modern browsers support them all. For brand-specific colors, use exact hex/RGB.

Tips​

  • For brand colors, store the exact hex β€” don't round to a nearby named color.
  • When designing dark/light theme variants, work in HSL: change lightness, keep hue/saturation.
  • Always specify color in only one format per file β€” mixing causes confusion in code reviews.
  • Alpha is the last channel β€” RGBA and 8-digit hex append it; RGB and 6-digit hex omit it.

Try it now​

The full rgb-hex runs in your browser at https://ztools.zaions.com/rgb-hex β€” no signup, no upload, no data leaves your device.

Open the tool β†—


Last updated: 2026-05-05 Β· Author: Ahsan Mahmood Β· Edit this page on GitHub