HEX to CMYK Converter

A HEX code is three numbers, for red, green and blue light, written in base 16. CMYK is four ink percentages. To convert, turn the HEX into RGB, then work out how much of each ink you need:

1. Split the HEX code into three pairs: red, green, blue. Convert each pair to a number from 0 to 255 by multiplying the first digit by 16 and adding the second (A–F count as 10–15).
2. Divide each number by 255, so the values run from 0 to 1.
3. Work out black (K) first: 1 minus the biggest of the three.
4. Work out cyan, magenta and yellow with the formulas below, then multiply all four by 100 for percentages.

Not always. A screen makes color from light, so it can show brighter, more intense colors than ink on paper can. Bright greens, electric blues, neon pinks and vivid oranges are the usual problem colors: they will print duller than they look on screen. Softer colors, greys and dark shades usually print close to how they look. The tool warns you when a color is in the bright, hard-to-print group.

The formula on this page is the standard quick conversion, and it is fine for most everyday printing. Professional printers fine-tune it with a color profile for their press and paper, which is why Photoshop or a print shop may give you slightly different numbers. For an important job:

• Ask your printer which profile they use. Common ones are FOGRA39 in Europe and GRACoL or SWOP in the US. In Photoshop, choose Edit → Convert to Profile and pick that profile.
• Order a proof if the color really matters, such as a logo on packaging.
• Keep black text as K 100 only. Mixing all four inks for small text can blur it if the plates are slightly out of line.
• Use rich black for large black areas. K 100 alone can look dark grey on a big background. A common recipe is C 60, M 40, Y 40, K 100, but check with your printer.