Convert color from HSL to CMYK

HSL to CMYK converter

Estimate CMYK ink coverage from an HSL color.

Example: hsl(16, 100%, 60.4%)

CMYK
See this color in all formats

About HSL to CMYK Converter

Handy when a color was designed in HSL, in CSS for example, and the same color now needs a CMYK value for print collateral. The color is converted to RGB first and then to CMYK with the standard formula.

About the formats. 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. 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.

How exact is it? HSL is only another way of writing sRGB, so no colors are added or lost, but the result is rounded to the nearest of the 256 levels per channel and the angle and percentages are read at full precision. The conversion uses the plain mathematical formula with no color profile, so treat the percentages as an estimate. Vivid screen colors fall outside what ink can print and will look duller on paper.

For example, hsl(194.9, 100%, 48.8%) in HSL is cmyk(100%, 24.9%, 0%, 2.4%) in CMYK. Muted and dark colors convert well because they sit comfortably inside what CMYK can print. Highly saturated brights will print duller than on screen, and the numbers here cannot show that.

How to convert HSL to CMYK

  1. Type or paste an HSL color, such as hsl(194.9, 100%, 48.8%), or choose a color with the picker.
  2. The CMYK value, cmyk(100%, 24.9%, 0%, 2.4%) for that example, appears straight away.
  3. Press Copy to put the CMYK 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 HSL to CMYK?

Type or paste an HSL value such as hsl(194.9, 100%, 48.8%) and the CMYK value, cmyk(100%, 24.9%, 0%, 2.4%), appears straight away. Use Copy to put it on your clipboard, or choose a color with the picker.

Does the conversion go through RGB?

Yes. HSL is converted to RGB, rounded to the nearest 8-bit color, and then turned into CMYK with the standard formula, so the CMYK matches exactly the color you see in the swatch.

What happens to transparency?

CMYK has no transparency, so any alpha in the hsl() value is dropped from the CMYK result. The swatch still shows the color with its transparency.

Is converting HSL to CMYK exact?

HSL is only another way of writing sRGB, so no colors are added or lost, but the result is rounded to the nearest of the 256 levels per channel and the angle and percentages are read at full precision. The conversion uses the plain mathematical formula with no color profile, so treat the percentages as an estimate. Vivid screen colors fall outside what ink can print and will look duller on paper.

Does HSL to CMYK keep transparency?

CMYK has no transparency, so any transparency in the HSL value is left out of the result. The preview still shows the color with its transparency.

Are my colors sent anywhere?

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