CMYK to RGB Converter

Convert between CMYK (print) and RGB (screen) color models with live preview.

Color Preview

#FFFFFF

CMYK Input

Values from 0 to 100%

Cyan (C): 0%

Magenta (M): 0%

Yellow (Y): 0%

Black (K): 0%

CMYK String

Enter CMYK values as: C, M, Y, K

RGB Output

Values from 0 to 255

Red (R): 255

Green (G): 255

Blue (B): 255

RGB String

Enter RGB values as: R, G, B

Hex Code

Enter hex color code

Understanding CMYK and RGB

CMYK (Subtractive)

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). It's a subtractive color model used in color printing. Colors are created by absorbing (subtracting) certain wavelengths of light.

Cyan: Blue-green color (absorbs red)
Magenta: Purple-red color (absorbs green)
Yellow: Absorbs blue light
Black (Key): Adds depth and contrast

Use cases: Printing, offset printing, magazines, brochures

RGB (Additive)

RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue. It's an additive color model used for digital displays. Colors are created by combining different intensities of light.

Red: 0-255 intensity
Green: 0-255 intensity
Blue: 0-255 intensity

Use cases: Computer screens, TVs, smartphones, digital cameras, web design

Conversion Notes

Important: CMYK and RGB are different color spaces with different gamuts. Not all CMYK colors can be exactly represented in RGB and vice versa. The conversion shown here is an approximation commonly used in digital workflows.

Conversion Formulas

CMYK to RGB:

R = 255 × (1 - C) × (1 - K)
G = 255 × (1 - M) × (1 - K)
B = 255 × (1 - Y) × (1 - K)

RGB to CMYK:

K = 1 - max(R, G, B) / 255
C = (1 - R/255 - K) / (1 - K)
M = (1 - G/255 - K) / (1 - K)
Y = (1 - B/255 - K) / (1 - K)

Common Color Examples

Pure Cyan: CMYK(100, 0, 0, 0) = RGB(0, 255, 255) = #00FFFF
Pure Magenta: CMYK(0, 100, 0, 0) = RGB(255, 0, 255) = #FF00FF
Pure Yellow: CMYK(0, 0, 100, 0) = RGB(255, 255, 0) = #FFFF00
Pure Black: CMYK(0, 0, 0, 100) = RGB(0, 0, 0) = #000000
Rich Black: CMYK(60, 40, 40, 100) = RGB(0, 0, 0) = #000000

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