White text passes AAA
8.59:1

Blue

#0000FF

Pure blue #0000FF is the blue channel at full strength. It's dark enough that white text reaches 8.6:1 and passes even WCAG AAA, which is one reason blue became the default color for links and buttons. Most brand blues are softer versions of it.

HEX#0000FF
RGBrgb(0, 0, 255)
HSLhsl(240, 100%, 50%)
OKLCHoklch(45.2% 0.313 264.1)
CMYKcmyk(100%, 100%, 0%, 0%)
CMYK is an approximate screen conversion, not for print matching.

Lighter and darker

Ten steps toward white and ten toward black, with blue in the middle. Click a step to copy its hex code.

LightestBlue #0000FFDarkest

Readability

White text on blueNormal text at 16px. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
8.59:1
  • Passes AA normal
  • Passes AA large
  • Passes AAA normal
  • Passes AAA large
Dark text on blueNormal text at 16px. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
2.44:1
  • Fails AA and AAA

Colors that go with blue

#0000FF#FFFF00

Complementary

The opposite on the color wheel
#0080FF#0000FF#8000FF

Analogous

Its two neighbors
#0000FF#FF0000#00FF00

Triadic

Three evenly spaced colors
#0000FF#FF8000#80FF00

Split-complementary

The two colors beside its opposite

Blue color palettes

Monochrome

Lighter and darker versions of the same color.

Analogous

Neighbors on the color wheel, for a calm, related look.

Complementary

The color with its opposite, for strong contrast.

Triadic

Three colors evenly spaced around the wheel, with a light and dark version.

Similar colors

  • Violet#8000FF
  • Persian Blue#1C39BB
  • Denim Blue#2243B6
  • Grape#6F2DA8
  • Dark Blue#00008B
  • Cobalt Blue#0047AB
  • Indigo#4B0082
  • Charcoal Gray#36454F
Shades of blueEvery named blue shade with hex codes

Use blue in a tool

Check text contrast with blueMix blue with other colorsBuild an accessible palette from blue

Questions about blue

What is the hex code for blue?

The hex code for blue is #0000FF. In RGB it's rgb(0, 0, 255), and in HSL it's hsl(240, 100%, 50%).

What colors go with blue?

Its complementary color is #FFFF00. For a calmer look, try the analogous colors #0080FF and #8000FF, or one of the palettes above, which all include blue.

Is text readable on blue?

White text is the better choice, with a contrast ratio of 8.59:1. That passes WCAG AA for normal text.