CMYK to HEX Converter: Print to Web Colors
Convert CMYK print values to HEX color codes for the web.
Last updated
Contrast on white & black
WCAG 2.1 contrast ratio of #235EEB against a white and a black surface.
AA needs 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18pt, or 14pt bold); AAA needs 7:1. Use this to choose white or black text over the color.
About this conversion
CMYK values are the language of the print world. Every commercial printer, from business cards to billboards, works in cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink percentages. HEX codes, on the other hand, are how the web describes color. A six-character hexadecimal string like #2563EB is understood by every browser, CSS stylesheet, and SVG file.
Converting from CMYK to HEX bridges the gap between print and digital. This is especially useful when you receive brand guidelines with CMYK specs and need matching web colors, or when you are adapting a printed brochure design into a website. The conversion goes through an intermediate RGB step, since HEX is simply a different notation for the same RGB color space.
The conversion is a mathematical approximation. Screen colors are additive (light-based) while print colors are subtractive (ink-based), so subtle differences are expected. For the best cross-media consistency, always compare your digital result against a physical proof. Our color calibration guide covers ICC profiles and proofing workflows that help close the gap.
Worked examples
Real conversions this tool produces — enter the inputs to reproduce each result.
Getting a web hex from a print colour (default sliders)
Input
- Cyan (C)
- 85%
- Magenta (M)
- 60%
- Yellow (Y)
- 0%
- Black (K)
- 8%
Result
- HEX
- #235EEB
CMYK→HEX runs through RGB first, so the hex is only ever an sRGB approximation of the printed colour — fine for a mock-up, not a colour-managed match.
A flyer orange-red as a hex code
Input
- Cyan (C)
- 0%
- Magenta (M)
- 81%
- Yellow (Y)
- 100%
- Black (K)
- 4%
Result
- HEX
- #F52F00
Notice the hex ends in 00 — blue is fully gone. Any printed colour built from C+M+Y with no cyan converts to a hex with a zero blue channel.
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Color conversions are mathematical approximations. For critical color work, verify against physical swatch books and printed proofs. See our methodology and full disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use CMYK values directly in CSS?
No. CSS does not support CMYK natively. You need to convert CMYK to HEX or RGB for web use. This tool gives you the HEX code ready to paste into your stylesheet.
What is the difference between CMYK and HEX?
CMYK describes ink percentages for print (four channels: cyan, magenta, yellow, black). HEX describes light values for screens (three channels: red, green, blue in hexadecimal notation). They represent fundamentally different color systems.
How accurate is the CMYK to HEX conversion?
The mathematical conversion is precise, but because print and screen use different color models, the HEX result is an approximation of how the printed color would appear on screen. For critical work, compare against a printed proof.
Cite or embed this tool
Cite this tool
PrinterTools. (2026). CMYK to HEX Converter: Print to Web Colors [online tool]. https://printertools.net/tools/cmyk-to-hexEmbed this tool
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<a href="https://printertools.net/tools/cmyk-to-hex" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;padding:10px 14px;border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;background:#ffffff;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;color:#2563eb;text-decoration:none;">CMYK to HEX Converter: Print to Web Colors — free tool by PrinterTools</a>More Print calculators
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