COLOR TOOLS / PHOTO TO PALETTE
Image color picker.
Extract colors from a photo.
Extract colors from a photo with this free image color picker. Choose a JPG, PNG, or WebP to get five suggested colors with HEX and RGB values. Fine-tune your palette, compare color-led design previews, and save a palette PNG — all in your browser.
Your photo stays in this browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Your five colors
EDIT / COPYCOLOR-LED / LIVE PREVIEW
Same colors. A different lead.
Choose a color to lead the background. The remaining colors become surfaces, details, and accents. These are design studies, not automatic accessibility recommendations.
Make room
for a new mood.
Try your palette as a journal cover, an editorial card, or the start of a small brand identity.
Explore the collection ↗Small details.
Lasting impressions.
A softer surface gives your leading color room to breathe.
FROM PHOTO TO SOMETHING USEFUL
How to extract colors from a photo
- Choose a photograph. Use a JPG, PNG, or WebP you have permission to use. A photo with a clear subject and a few distinct areas of color is a useful starting point.
- Review five suggested colors. The picker groups similar sampled pixels. Large backgrounds may dominate; a small flower or detail may need a manual replacement.
- Edit and compare. Click a color square to adjust it, or type a six-digit HEX value. Select a lead color and compare the same palette in the design preview.
- Take the palette with you. Copy a HEX or RGB value, copy all five HEX codes, or save a palette PNG. The download contains colors and values, not your source photograph.
Turn photo colors into a usable design palette
Try a landscape for a website background and accent, a still life for packaging inspiration, or a portrait for a journal cover. Start with the five suggested colors, then keep the shades that support your subject and message. A color that looks beautiful in a photograph may work better as a small detail than a full-page background.
Our color-led preview lets you compare that decision using the same five colors. Choose a different lead to see the background, supporting card, and accent change together. You can edit any HEX value before copying the palette or saving your color reference.
How does this image color picker work?
The extractor downsizes your photo for sampling, ignores nearly transparent pixels, and groups the remaining RGB colors into five clusters. The result represents prominent colors rather than the five most important objects. A subtle subject color can disappear when a background occupies most of the image.
Lighting, editing, and your display affect the colors you see. These values describe the rendered image, not a physical paint, fabric, or print standard. For a deliberate palette, keep a subject color, a useful light or dark, and one accent rather than accepting every suggestion unchanged.
Why try a color-led preview?
A palette strip gives each color equal space. A layout does not: the background often occupies most of the design. Switching the lead color helps you spot a muddy combination, an overpowering accent, or a useful quiet surface before designing a full page. Our preview selects dark or light text for readability and reports the main text contrast; you should still check every final text and background pair.
Image color picker questions
How can I extract HEX colors from a photo?
Choose a photo using the button above or drop it into the image area. The tool suggests five colors. Use Copy HEX beside an individual color, or Copy all HEX for the full palette. To change a suggestion, select its color square or enter a six-digit HEX code.
Does this picker select an exact pixel?
No. It extracts a representative five-color palette from the whole image rather than sampling a point you click. The results are grouped color suggestions. If you need the precise color of a small object, compare it with the source and adjust a swatch manually.
Is my photo uploaded or stored?
No. The image is decoded and sampled locally in your browser. This tool does not send it to a server, save it to an account, or keep it after you leave the page.
Can I copy HEX and RGB colors?
Yes. Each row has separate HEX and RGB copy buttons. You can also copy all five HEX codes together or save a labeled palette PNG.
Why do the extracted colors differ from my original palette?
Area-based grouping favors frequent colors. Cropping, compression, shadows, and tiny accents change the result. Fine-tune individual swatches when the visual subject matters more than its size in the photo.
Can I get CMYK print values?
This picker works in RGB. A reliable print conversion needs your printer’s ICC profile and print conditions; a generic CMYK calculation would not guarantee the printed result. Read our color formats guide before preparing print artwork.