Convert color from OKLCH to CMYK

OKLCH to CMYK converter

Estimate CMYK percentages from an OKLCH color.

Example: oklch(70.45% 0.1926 39.23)

CMYK
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About OKLCH to CMYK Converter

OKLCH can describe vivid colors that neither screens nor presses can show. Here the color is fitted into sRGB first and then converted to CMYK with the standard formula, giving you a rough ink estimate.

About the formats. OKLCH is a perceptual color model built on Björn Ottosson's OKLab space: L is lightness from 0% to 100%, C is chroma (how vivid the color is, from 0 for grey up to about 0.32 inside sRGB) and H is the hue angle in degrees. Lightness tracks what the eye sees, so equal L values look equally light. 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? OKLCH can describe colors that a standard screen cannot show. When the color is outside sRGB, its chroma is lowered, keeping lightness and hue, until it fits, which is how browsers handle it too; colors already inside sRGB convert unchanged. 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, oklch(44.68% 0.2282 304.02) in OKLCH is cmyk(37.7%, 95.1%, 0%, 28.2%) in CMYK. Two gamut limits stack up here: OKLCH to sRGB, then screen colors to what ink can print. High-chroma colors lose the most, so if the CMYK looks flat compared to what you had in mind, the gamut is the reason.

How to convert OKLCH to CMYK

  1. Type or paste an OKLCH color, such as oklch(44.68% 0.2282 304.02), or choose a color with the picker.
  2. The CMYK value, cmyk(37.7%, 95.1%, 0%, 28.2%) 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 OKLCH to CMYK?

Type or paste an OKLCH value such as oklch(44.68% 0.2282 304.02) and the CMYK value, cmyk(37.7%, 95.1%, 0%, 28.2%), appears straight away. Use Copy to put it on your clipboard, or choose a color with the picker.

Why do vivid OKLCH colors look dull in CMYK?

Highly saturated colors, especially bright greens, blues and oranges, are beyond what cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink can mix. The formula cannot create what the ink cannot print.

Is this suitable for sending to print?

No. It is an estimate without a color profile. For production files, convert in design software using the printer's profile and ask for a proof.

Is converting OKLCH to CMYK exact?

OKLCH can describe colors that a standard screen cannot show. When the color is outside sRGB, its chroma is lowered, keeping lightness and hue, until it fits, which is how browsers handle it too; colors already inside sRGB convert unchanged. 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 OKLCH to CMYK keep transparency?

CMYK has no transparency, so any transparency in the OKLCH 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.