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What is a hex color code?

The 6-character code behind every color on your screen, explained simply.

A hex color code is a 6-character code, like #FF5733, that tells a screen exactly which color to show. Designers and developers use them everywhere: in websites, apps, brand guidelines, and design tools.

How a hex code is built

Every hex code starts with a hash (#) followed by six characters. Those six characters are really three pairs, one each for red, green, and blue:

  • #FF5733 → FF red, 57 green, 33 blue.
  • Each pair runs from 00 (none of that color) to FF (the maximum).
  • In everyday numbers, 00 to FF is the same as 0 to 255.

The characters use base 16, also called hexadecimal. That is why you see letters: after 9 you keep counting with A, B, C, D, E, and F, where F stands for 15. Two of those characters together can describe 256 different levels, and three pairs give you more than 16 million possible colors.

Hex codes in the wild

#FF5733
Vivid orange-red
#4BB8A9
Teal
#BB6EC2
Orchid
#EAB308
Amber
#2563EB
Royal blue
#111111
Near black

Why designers and developers use hex

Hex is compact, precise, and works the same everywhere. A single code like #4BB8A9 means the exact same color in Figma, in CSS, and in a brand document, with no room for guesswork. That shared shorthand is why hex has been the default way to talk about color on screens for decades. Want to explore a few? Try the random hex color generator.

The five you already know

These show up constantly, and they are worth recognizing on sight:

Black #000000
White #FFFFFF
Red #FF0000
Green #00FF00
Blue #0000FF

Common questions

What does a hex color code look like?
A hex color code starts with a # followed by six characters, for example #FF5733. The six characters are three pairs that set the red, green, and blue parts of the color.
What do the letters in a hex code mean?
Hex uses base 16, so each position runs from 0 to 9 and then A to F. A stands for 10, B for 11, and so on up to F for 15. This lets two characters cover every value from 0 to 255.
Is a hex code the same as RGB?
They describe the same thing in different formats. #FF5733 is the same color as rgb(255, 87, 51). Hex is just a shorter way to write the red, green, and blue values.
Do I need to memorize hex codes?
No. Most people recognize a handful over time, like #000000 for black and #FFFFFF for white. Playing a daily puzzle like Hexadle is an easy way to build that instinct.

Learn hex the fun way

Hexadle turns hex into a daily puzzle. Guess the color, read the clues, and you will start recognizing codes without even trying. New to it? See how to play.

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