Upload any image to instantly extract its dominant colors - With hex codes, RGB values, and HSL values.
Everything runs directly in your browser using the Canvas API. No files are sent to any server. Works with JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, AVIF, and more.
Drop an image or click to uploadPNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP, AVIF - Any browser-readable image
Extracting colors…
Dominant Colors
How it works
Color Extraction Algorithm
This tool samples pixels from your image using the HTML5 Canvas API and groups similar colors together using a clustering algorithm - The same core technique behind professional color palette tools. Similar colors (within a defined RGB distance threshold) are merged into clusters, and each cluster's average color becomes a swatch. The clusters are then sorted by how many pixels they represent, so the most dominant colors appear first. No external libraries are used; the entire extraction runs locally in your browser in milliseconds.
Color theory
Using Your Palette Effectively
Understanding color relationships helps you build harmonious designs from any extracted palette.
Complementary Colors
Colors opposite each other on the color wheel. They create strong contrast and make each other pop - Ideal for call-to-action buttons and highlights.
Analogous Palettes
Colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel. They feel naturally cohesive and are great for backgrounds, gradients, and calm, flowing layouts.
Triadic Palettes
Three colors spaced evenly around the color wheel. They provide vibrant, balanced variety - Popular for playful branding and energetic designs.
Monochromatic
Different shades, tints, and tones of a single hue. Elegant and highly cohesive - Perfect for minimalist photography sites and professional portfolios.
Use cases
What Can You Do With a Color Palette?
Extracted palettes are immediately useful across many creative workflows.
Brand Identity
Extract the palette from a brand photo or product to build a consistent color system for logos, packaging, and marketing materials.
Web Design
Pull a palette from a hero image to inform your CSS variables — backgrounds, text colors, and accent shades that harmonize with your visuals. Use the Photo Editor to apply those colors directly to your image compositions.
Photography
Analyze mood and tone in photos. Photographers use palette extraction to ensure a consistent color story across an entire shoot or portfolio.
Print Design
Convert extracted hex values to CMYK equivalents for print production. Ensure your printed materials match the visual intent of your source imagery. Use the DPI / PPI Calculator to verify your image has enough resolution for the target print size before sending to press.
Tips
Tips for Best Results
Use high-quality images. Low-resolution or heavily compressed images may have color banding artifacts that skew the extracted palette.
Upload a representative crop. If you only want colors from a specific area (a product, a sky, a face), crop the image before uploading for more targeted results.
Consider your subject matter. Very busy images with hundreds of colors may produce a palette dominated by mid-tones. Crop to a key section for sharper palette differentiation.
Use PNG source files for accuracy. PNG is lossless, so the colors are exactly what was captured. JPEG compression can introduce subtle color shifts in gradients and shadows.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Your image never leaves your device. All processing happens locally using the HTML5 Canvas API. There is no server involved in color extraction - We cannot see, store, or access your files.
By default the tool extracts the 6 most dominant colors in the image. The algorithm samples pixels, groups similar ones into clusters, and returns the top clusters sorted by how many pixels they represent - Giving you the colors that have the greatest visual presence.
Any image format your browser can render is supported: JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF (first frame), BMP, AVIF, and HEIC on supported browsers. The file is drawn onto a Canvas element, so the format just needs to be browser-readable. If you want to compare how color rendering differs between JPG and PNG versions of an image, use our Image Format Comparison tool to view them side by side.
Hover over any color swatch and click the "Copy hex" overlay that appears. Alternatively, use the "Copy all hex" button to copy all palette hex codes at once, separated by commas - Ready to paste into Figma, CSS, or any design tool.
Clicking "Download palette PNG" generates a 600×80-pixel PNG image containing all extracted colors as equal-width color strips. It's useful for mood boards, design presentations, or sharing your palette with a client or team member.
Color extraction samples pixels mathematically, so it reflects the most statistically frequent colors — not necessarily the ones that feel most visually prominent. A large blue sky will dominate even if a small red logo feels more important. Try cropping to the area you care about for more targeted results - Use the Aspect Ratio Calculator to make sure your crop keeps the proportions you need. To verify the exact colors in your source file, use our Image Metadata Viewer to see the full file details before extracting.
Yes - Each swatch already shows the hex code, RGB values, and HSL values together. You can read them directly from the card without any extra conversion step.
