RGB to HSL Converter
Free, accurate, and instant conversion. Preview your color in real-time on digital and print mockups.
Source Input RGB
/* CSS Variable */ --color-primary: #000000; /* Standard */ color: #000000; background-color: #000000;
From Machine Code to Human Perception
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is perfect for monitors because that's how they are built. But for humans, RGB is confusing. If I tell you to "make this red more pastel", finding the right mix of (255, 0, 0) involves complex guesswork.
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) solves this. It aligns with how we actually think about color. Use this tool to convert your technical RGB values into intuitive HSL scales.
Hue (Degree)
Imagine a color wheel. Hue is simply the direction (0° to 360°) pointing to the color family (Red, Blue, Yellow, etc.).
Saturation (%)
How "rich" is the color? 0% is grey (no color), 100% is the most vivid, neon version of that hue.
Lightness (%)
How much white/black is mixed in? 0% is Black, 100% is White. 50% is usually the "pure" color.
Why Professional Designers Prefer HSL
HSL allows for programmatic color generation. If you want to create a "hover" state for a button, you typically don't change the Hue. You just reduce the Lightness by 10%.
The Mental Model
Problem: Make RGB(255, 0, 0) darker.
RGB Way: Reduce Red? RGB(200, 0, 0). What about orange RGB(255, 165, 0)? Reducing values unevenly changes the hue.
HSL Way: Reduce Lightness. HSL(0, 100%, 50%) → HSL(0, 100%, 40%). Perfect dark red, guaranteed.
Pro Tips for Color Manipulation
- • Create tints: Keep Hue and Saturation fixed, increase Lightness toward 100%.
- • Create shades: Keep Hue and Saturation fixed, decrease Lightness toward 0%.
- • Muted tones: Reduce Saturation to 20-40% for sophisticated, "earthy" palettes.
- • Analogous colors: Add ±30° to Hue for harmonious neighboring colors.
Common HSL Angles (Hue)
| Color | Angle (Hue) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 0° / 360° | Top of the circle. |
| Yellow | 60° | Mix of Red and Green. |
| Green | 120° | One third around the circle. |
| Cyan | 180° | Opposite to Red (Complementary). |
| Blue | 240° | Two thirds around the circle. |
| Magenta | 300° | Mix of Blue and Red. |
Who Benefits from HSL?
Color Scientists
Analyze chromatic properties and perceptual uniformity without fighting channel math.
Animation Developers
Interpolate colors through the Hue wheel for smooth, rainbow-like transitions.
Generative Artists
Create algorithmic art with predictable color shifts by manipulating H, S, L independently.
Theme Builders
Generate entire shade scales from a single base color using Lightness variations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why convert RGB to HSL?
RGB is for machines (red+green+blue light). HSL is for humans. It breaks color into Hue (what color is it?), Saturation (how rich is it?), and Lightness (how bright is it?). This makes 'making a red brighter' much easier.
What is the difference between HSL and HSV?
Lightness vs. Value. In HSL, 100% Lightness is always pure white. In HSV, 100% Value just means the color is at its brightest state (which might be rich red, not white). HSL is generally better for CSS web design.
How is Hue calculated?
Hue is degrees on a color circle (0-360). 0 is Red, 120 is Green, 240 is Blue. The formula triangulates the RGB values to find the angle.
Is HSL supported in all browsers?
Yes, HSL has been supported in all major browsers since IE9. It is a standard part of the CSS3 specification.
What does 0% Saturation mean?
It means the color is purely grayscale. No hue information is visible. The lightness then determines if it is black, white, or grey.
Can I use HSL for transparency?
Yes, use HSLA (Hue, Saturation, Lightness, Alpha). For example: hsla(120, 100%, 50%, 0.5) is a semi-transparent green.
Is the conversion lossless?
Mathematically, yes. You can convert RGB -> HSL -> RGB without losing data, although some tiny rounding errors might occur due to decimal precision.
Why is Lightness 50% usually the 'purest' color?
In HSL, 0% Lightness is Black, 100% is White. Therefore, the pure pigment usually sits right in the middle at 50%.
How do I make a color pastel using HSL?
High Lightness, Low Saturation. For example, increase Lightness to 85-90% and lower Saturation to 40-60%.
Is HSL good for gradients?
Extremely. Interpolating between colors in RGB space can lead to muddy grey middle zones. Interpolating in HSL space moves around the color wheel, creating vibrant rainbows.
How do I find complementary colors using HSL?
Add 180° to the Hue value. If your color is HSL(30, 80%, 50%) (orange), the complement is HSL(210, 80%, 50%) (blue). This geometric approach is why HSL excels at color theory.
Why does RGB(128, 128, 128) give Hue of 0?
Grayscale colors have no chromatic component—the Hue is undefined. Converters typically default to 0° but the Saturation will be 0%, making Hue irrelevant visually.