CMYK to HEX Converter Online – Print Colors to Web Codes

How to use the CMYK to HEX Converter

Type or paste CMYK values into the CMYK field, e.g. cmyk(20%, 100%, 90%, 10%) or C0 M61 Y72 K0.

The color is converted to red, green and blue and shown in the HEX field as a hex code.

Compare the result with your printed sample or brand guide on screen.

Copy the hex code with the button next to the field into your website, presentation or design tool.

CMYK to HEX: bringing print colors to the screen

Brand guides written for print often list only CMYK percentages. This CMYK to HEX converter turns those ink values into hex codes you can use on a website, in slides or in a UI design, so the online version of a logo or letterhead starts from the right place.

How the conversion works

Each ink percentage is turned into a fraction, and every RGB channel is what remains of full light after that ink and the black are applied:

R = 255 × (1 − C) × (1 − K)
G = 255 × (1 − M) × (1 − K)
B = 255 × (1 − Y) × (1 − K)

The channels are rounded to whole numbers and written as two hex digits each.

Worked example: a deep red

cmyk(20%, 100%, 90%, 10%)

R = 255 × 0.80 × 0.90 = 183.6  → 184 → B8
G = 255 × 0.00 × 0.90 =   0    →   0 → 00
B = 255 × 0.10 × 0.90 =  22.95 →  23 → 17

→ #B80017

Input formats

CSS-like: cmyk(0%, 61%, 72%, 0%).
Plain numbers: 0 61 72 0 or 0, 61, 72, 0, read as percentages.
Labelled, as many layout programs display it: C0 M61 Y72 K0. All three give #FF6347.
Fractions like 0.2, 0.4, 0, 0.1 are read as 0–1 values when all four are 1 or less and at least one has a decimal point.

Different recipes, same hex

Printers can build the same shade with more black and less color ink, or the other way round. Screens cannot see that difference. For example cmyk(20%, 60%, 100%, 20%) and cmyk(0%, 50%, 100%, 36%) both convert to rgb(163, 82, 0), so they share the same hex code.

Blacks show the same effect. A rich black like cmyk(75%, 68%, 67%, 90%) converts to #060808, almost identical to plain cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 100%) at #000000, although on paper the rich black looks deeper.

Why the hex is an approximation

The formula above is not ICC color-managed. It does not know whether the CMYK numbers were meant for coated or uncoated paper, how much the ink spreads, or which press standard was used, and those factors change how a printed color actually looks. Screen colors can also be brighter than ink: 100% cyan converts to #00FFFF, which is far more vivid than printed process cyan.

If your brand already defines an official hex value, use it rather than a computed one. Otherwise treat this result as a close starting point and adjust by eye against a printed sample.

Need the reverse? Try HEX to CMYK. For channel numbers use CMYK to RGB, or see every format side by side in the color converter.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my CMYK to HEX result look brighter than the printed color?

Screens emit light and can show more saturated colors than inks on paper. The simple formula also ignores paper and press profiles, so the hex value may look more vivid than the printed piece.

Is there one correct hex code for a CMYK color?

Not exactly. The screen equivalent depends on the ICC profile the CMYK values were created for. This tool uses the standard device-independent formula, which gives a consistent approximation.

Can I paste values like C0 M61 Y72 K0?

Yes. The letters are ignored and the four numbers are read in order as cyan, magenta, yellow and black percentages.

What does cmyk(0, 0, 0, 100) convert to?

It converts to #000000, pure black. Rich blacks that add color inks, such as cmyk(75%, 68%, 67%, 90%), give a near-black like #060808.

Why is 1, 0, 0, 0 almost white?

Whole numbers are treated as percentages, so 1 means 1% cyan, which gives rgb(252, 255, 255). To enter fractions, include a decimal, such as 1, 0, 0, 0.5 for 100% cyan and 50% black.

CMYK to HEX Converter