CMYK to RGB Converter

How to use the cmyk to rgb converter

1. Enter or pick your colour.
2. Read every notation below, updated as you type.
3. Copy whichever one you need.

About this tool

This is the direction you need when a colour was specified for print and now has to appear on a screen — a brand guide that gives only CMYK, for instance.

The CMYK figures are a direct arithmetic conversion with no colour profile attached. That is what every browser-based converter does, and it is a reasonable starting point — but it cannot tell you what will come off a press, because that depends on the ink, paper and profile. Vivid screen colours in particular have no CMYK equivalent at all and will print duller than they look here.

Going from CMYK to RGB is the more forgiving direction, because the range of colours a screen can show is wider than what ink can print. Almost any CMYK value has a reasonable screen equivalent, whereas the reverse is often not true.

Common uses

• Getting a screen colour from a print-only brand guide.
• Turning CMYK values into hex for a website.
• Comparing a print colour against a screen palette.

Frequently asked questions

Is CMYK to RGB accurate?

More so than the reverse, because screens can display more colours than ink can print. It still ignores colour profiles, so treat it as close rather than exact.

Why does 0,0,0,0 give white?

CMYK is subtractive: no ink means the paper shows through, which is white. All four at 100% is the darkest the model can go.

Should I use this for brand colours?

As a starting point. If the brand has an official hex value, use that instead — it will be more accurate than any conversion.