Convert color from CMYK to HSL

CMYK to HSL converter

Convert CMYK percentages to HSL.

Example: cmyk(0%, 58%, 79.2%, 0%)

HSL
See this color in all formats

About CMYK to HSL Converter

This puts a print color in terms a designer can tweak on screen: CMYK is converted to sRGB and then to hue, saturation and lightness. It helps when you want to build tints and shades of a brand color that was only supplied in CMYK.

About the formats. CMYK describes a color as the share of cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink (each 0% to 100%) used to print it. Values are read as percentages, with or without the % sign, and the CSS name device-cmyk() is understood too. HSL describes a color as a hue angle on the color wheel (0 to 360 degrees, where 0 is red, 120 green and 240 blue), a saturation percentage and a lightness percentage. It is the same sRGB color as RGB, written in a way that is easier to adjust by eye.

How exact is it? The conversion uses the plain mathematical formula, R = 255 × (1 − C) × (1 − K), with no color profile, so it will not match what a particular printer and paper produce. The HSL values are shown to one decimal place, which is enough to give back exactly the same 8-bit color when you convert them again.

For example, cmyk(0%, 24.2%, 71%, 1.2%) in CMYK is hsl(39.6, 96.8%, 63.7%) in HSL. Because HSL is on-screen, the hue tells you the color family regardless of how it is printed. For example, cmyk(100%, 0%, 0%, 0%) gives hsl(180, 100%, 50%), a bright cyan.

How to convert CMYK to HSL

  1. Type or paste a CMYK color, such as cmyk(0%, 24.2%, 71%, 1.2%), or choose a color with the picker.
  2. The HSL value, hsl(39.6, 96.8%, 63.7%) for that example, appears straight away.
  3. Press Copy to put the HSL value on your clipboard.
  4. Use the From and To menus at the top to switch to a different conversion, or open the all-formats page to see every format at once.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert CMYK to HSL?

Type or paste a CMYK value such as cmyk(0%, 24.2%, 71%, 1.2%) and the HSL value, hsl(39.6, 96.8%, 63.7%), appears straight away. Use Copy to put it on your clipboard, or choose a color with the picker.

Can I use the result to make tints of a brand color?

Yes. Raise the lightness for lighter tints and lower it for shades, keeping hue and saturation, then convert the HSL back to HEX for your design files.

Why is pure cyan hsl(180, 100%, 50%) and not a deeper blue?

The formula treats ideal cyan ink as the screen's cyan, rgb(0, 255, 255). Real cyan ink is a darker, bluer color, which only a color profile can reproduce.

Is converting CMYK to HSL exact?

The conversion uses the plain mathematical formula, R = 255 × (1 − C) × (1 − K), with no color profile, so it will not match what a particular printer and paper produce. The HSL values are shown to one decimal place, which is enough to give back exactly the same 8-bit color when you convert them again.

Does CMYK to HSL keep transparency?

CMYK has no transparency, so the HSL result is always fully opaque.

Are my colors sent anywhere?

No. The conversion runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.