HEX to CMYK Converter
Paste a web hex code and get its CMYK ink breakdown for print. It's the same colour expressed two ways — but since hex describes light and CMYK describes ink, the output is an approximation worth proofing.
C%
M%
Y%
K%
What is a HEX to CMYK converter?
A hex code is just a compact way of writing an RGB colour — two hex digits each for red, green and blue. So converting HEX to CMYK is really converting RGB to CMYK with the hex unpacked first. This tool reads your #RRGGBB value, expands it to its three channels, then derives the cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks.
Hex is the native language of the web: CSS, design tokens and brand guidelines all speak it. When that same colour needs to appear on a printed brochure or business card, you need its CMYK equivalent — and that's the bridge this converter builds.
Like every screen-to-ink conversion, the output is an approximation. The formula doesn't know your paper or press, so use it to plan and visualise, then confirm with a proof.
How to convert a hex code to CMYK
- 1
Paste your hex code
Enter a value like #0070DC. Both shorthand #RGB and full #RRGGBB forms are accepted.
- 2
See the CMYK breakdown
The four ink percentages appear instantly, ready for your print spec.
- 3
Copy the values
Click to copy the CMYK string into your layout app or printer brief.
- 4
Verify on paper
For brand colours, ask your printer for a hard proof before approving the run.
Why it's handy
Bridge web to print
Move a colour straight from your CSS or design tokens into a print-ready ink spec.
Keep brands consistent
Translate the hex in your brand guide into CMYK so the printed piece matches the site.
Skip manual maths
No need to expand hex to RGB by hand before reaching for a CMYK formula.
Stays on your device
Codes you paste are processed locally and never transmitted.
Example conversion
A common web blue hex code, unpacked and converted to ink.
#0070DCcmyk(100%, 49%, 0%, 14%)Identical to converting rgb(0, 112, 220); the press profile will fine-tune these inks.
Hex, RGB and CMYK: how they relate
Hex and RGB are two notations for the same thing — a colour built from light. #0070DC and rgb(0, 112, 220) are identical. CMYK is a different beast: a recipe for mixing translucent inks on paper. Because the converter has to cross that screen-to-ink boundary, the same approximation applies as with any RGB-to-CMYK tool.
If you already think in RGB, our RGB to CMYK converter does the same job from the other notation. The CMYK result will match — the only difference is how you typed the colour in.
Tips for cleaner hex-to-print results
- Pick brand colours that already sit inside the CMYK gamut if a piece is print-first.
- Avoid relying on pure web neons for print — they won't survive the conversion.
- Pair a critical colour with a Pantone reference using our hex to Pantone tool.
- Always proof rich blacks and deep colours, where formula and press diverge most.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. A hex code is simply an RGB colour written compactly, so the tool expands the hex to red, green and blue first, then applies the standard CMYK formula. The result is identical to converting the equivalent RGB values.
Both the full six-digit form (#RRGGBB) and the three-digit shorthand (#RGB) are accepted, with or without the leading hash. Shorthand is expanded by doubling each digit.
Not exactly. The hex defines a colour made of light, while CMYK is ink on paper with a smaller gamut. The conversion is an approximation — fine for planning, but confirm critical colours with a printed proof.
Printers convert through an ICC profile matched to their paper and press, which adjusts the ink mix. This tool uses the generic formula, so small differences are expected and normal.
Yes, with our CMYK to HEX converter. As with any ink-to-light crossing, expect slight rounding differences on the round trip.
Yes. DevTools shows hex in #RRGGBB form, which this converter accepts directly. Paste the copied hex and you get the CMYK breakdown without any extra steps.
Need another tool?
Browse the full toolbox or dig into the blog for the engineering behind it.