Enter CIELAB lightness and the a and b axes and get the hex color code instantly. CIELAB and HEX describe the exact same color: the classic CIE L*a*b* lightness with two signed axes on one side, base sixteen screen channels on the other. See the live preview and the math worked out step by step.
Questions
- Are CIELAB and HEX the same color?
- Yes. CIELAB and HEX are two notations of one color; the converter changes the notation, not the color. Converting back returns the same value, apart from rounding in spaces that use decimals.
- How do I convert CIELAB to HEX by hand?
- Turn the CIELAB components into red, green and blue from 0 to 255 with the formula shown in How CIELAB to HEX Works above, then write each channel as a two digit hex pair. The worked example on this page follows every step with your own color.
- Where does the alpha channel go?
- A hex code with eight digits carries opacity in its last pair (FF is fully opaque). CIELAB has a matching form with an extra alpha value; both are listed in the Formats section of this page.
- Is the CIELAB to HEX converter free?
- Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign in and no limit; convert as many values as you like. The color itself is the link, so any conversion can be shared or bookmarked.
