Why does the hex code not match the printed color exactly?

Because CMYK is a subtractive ink model with a smaller gamut than sRGB. Vivid blues, greens and oranges print duller than they look on screen, which is why print designers check a physical proof.

How do I convert a screen color to CMYK for printing?

Use the RGB to CMYK converter for that direction, then verify against your printer profile — different stocks and presses shift the result.

How much black should a print color use?

Rich black mixes some cyan and magenta into the black for depth, while a flat 100% K alone often looks grey in large areas on press.

CMYK to Hex Converter

Enter the print ink percentages to see the screen color they approximate, as a hex code and RGB values.

Cyan (%)Magenta (%)Yellow (%)Black (%)

#7a3dcc

Hex

#7a3dcc

RGB

rgb(122, 61, 204)

CMYK

cmyk(40%, 70%, 0%, 20%)

HSL

hsl(266, 58%, 52%)

CSS

color: #7a3dcc;

CMYK describes ink on paper — cyan, magenta, yellow and black from 0 to 100%. Screens mix light instead, so a CMYK value has to be converted to RGB before it can be displayed, and because inks and screens cover different gamuts the resulting hex code is an approximation. Use it to match a print spec inside a design file, not to predict exactly what the press will deliver.

Frequently asked questions

Convert CMYK to RGB first: each channel is 255 × (1 − ink) × (1 − black). Then write the three RGB channels as hex pairs. The formula is a naive conversion, so printed output can still differ from the screen.

Good to know

CMYK is subtractive: more ink means less reflected light.
RGB covers a wider gamut than CMYK, so some screen colors cannot be printed exactly.
The RGB to CMYK converter handles the reverse direction.

Tools that pair with CMYK to Hex Converter

CMYK to Hex Converter is one of 33 single-page tools in this workspace. These are the ones that carry the job on — the color value moves between them, so nothing gets retyped or re-uploaded.

CMYK to RGBTurn cyan, magenta, yellow and black into a hex color.RGB to CMYKConvert RGB channels to CMYK print percentages.Color PickerPick, fine-tune and copy any color in HEX, RGB or HSL.