How to Generate and Use a Color Palette
Select a color harmony type from the buttons at the top — Analogous generates colors that sit adjacent on the color wheel for a calm, cohesive look; Complementary pairs colors from opposite sides for high contrast and vibrancy; Triadic gives three equidistant hues for a balanced palette; Monochromatic creates five tints and shades of a single hue. Once you've chosen a harmony, click 'New Palette' to generate a variation in that style. Click it as many times as you like until you find colors you love.
Each color swatch displays its value in three formats: HEX (e.g. #3B82F6), RGB (59, 130, 246), and HSL (217°, 91%, 60%). Click the HEX value or the copy icon on any swatch to copy that color's code to your clipboard. To check contrast, click one swatch to mark it 'A' and another to mark it 'B' — the WCAG Contrast Checker section below immediately shows the contrast ratio and whether the pair passes WCAG 2.1 AA and AAA levels for normal and large text.
When you're happy with your palette, use the Export Colors section to copy it in the format you need. Choose 'CSS Variables' to get a :root { --color-1: #hex; } block ready for your stylesheet. Choose 'Tailwind' to get a colors: {} object ready for tailwind.config.js. All palette generation and contrast calculations run entirely in your browser — no data is ever sent to any server.
Why Use This Free Color Palette Generator?
Choosing colors for a project involves more than aesthetics — your palette must be harmonious, versatile across light and dark contexts, and accessible to users with low vision or color blindness. This tool combines palette generation, color format conversion, and WCAG accessibility checking in one place.
- Color theory harmonies (Analogous, Complementary, Triadic, Monochromatic) ensure your palette is visually cohesive
- WCAG 2.1 contrast checker built-in — meet AA and AAA accessibility standards without switching tools
- Live text preview shows how your color pairs look as real foreground/background combinations
- One-click export to CSS custom properties or Tailwind config — skip manual conversion
- HEX, RGB, and HSL displayed simultaneously — copy whichever format your design tool expects
- 100% browser-based — no account, no upload, no rate limit
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WCAG contrast ratio and why does it matter?
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) contrast ratio measures the perceived brightness difference between two colors. The formula is (L1 + 0.05) / (L2 + 0.05) where L1 and L2 are the relative luminance values of the two colors. Ratios range from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). WCAG 2.1 requires a minimum of 4.5:1 for normal text (AA), 3:1 for large text (AA), 7:1 for normal text (AAA), and 4.5:1 for large text (AAA). Meeting these thresholds ensures your text is readable by people with low vision, color blindness, or those viewing screens in bright sunlight.
Source: WCAG 2.1 — Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum)
What is the difference between Analogous and Complementary color harmonies?
Color harmonies describe relationships between hues on the color wheel. Analogous palettes use colors adjacent to each other (within about 30–60°), creating smooth, harmonious looks found often in nature — ideal for backgrounds and designs that should feel calm. Complementary palettes use colors from opposite sides of the wheel (180° apart), creating maximum contrast and visual tension — excellent for call-to-action buttons and logos. Triadic uses three colors equally spaced at 120° intervals, balancing contrast with harmony. Monochromatic uses tints, tones, and shades of a single hue for a sophisticated minimal aesthetic.
What is the difference between HSL and RGB color models?
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the native color model of digital screens — each channel has a value from 0 to 255. HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness) is a more human-intuitive model: Hue is the angle on the color wheel (0–360°), Saturation is the color intensity (0% = gray, 100% = fully saturated), and Lightness is the brightness (0% = black, 50% = pure hue, 100% = white). HSL is especially useful for programmatically adjusting colors — to create tints you increase Lightness; to create shades you decrease it — while keeping the same Hue.
Can I use generated palettes in commercial projects?
Yes. Colors themselves are not copyrightable — there is no intellectual property protection on a specific hex color value or combination of colors. Any palette generated by this tool is free to use in personal or commercial projects without restriction. If you intentionally base a palette on a well-known brand's color scheme, be aware that logos and brand identities may have trademark protection even if individual colors do not. Once you've chosen your colors, use the <a href="/tools/aspect-ratio-calculator/">Aspect Ratio Calculator</a> to determine the right image dimensions for your design assets, or create a matching favicon with the <a href="/tools/favicon-generator/">Favicon Generator</a>.
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