Color palette from any photo

Upload any photograph and instantly extract its dominant colors as hex codes, RGB, HSL, and CSS variables. Perfect for mood boards, social feeds, and matching brand colors to photography.

✓ Free forever✓ No signup required✓ Works in your browser✓ Images stay on your device

Drop your image here

or browse to upload

PNG · JPG · WEBP · GIF · BMP · or paste from clipboard

Uploaded photo for color palette extraction
6

Color palette

Swatches — click any pill to copy value

Export as

Why extract a color palette from a photo?

Every compelling photograph is built on a handful of key colors. Extracting that palette gives you the exact values to recreate the mood in your own work.

Mood boards & inspiration

Capture the exact color story of a reference photo. Download the palette as a PNG to drop directly into a mood board or client presentation.

Consistent social media feeds

Extract your most popular photo's palette and use those hex codes as a guide for editing and creating new content — keeping your grid visually cohesive.

Print & editorial design

Use a hero photograph's dominant colors to inform your layout palette, headline treatments, and supporting graphic elements for perfectly matched print work.

Color grading presets

Identify the dominant hues and tonal balance in a photo you want to match, then dial in your Lightroom or Capture One preset to hit the same palette.

Digital illustration

Reference the exact hex codes from a photograph to match colors in Procreate, Photoshop, or Affinity Designer for hyper-realistic or stylistically matched illustrations.

Interior & product styling

Extract colors from an inspiration photo to get precise RGB values you can match to paint swatches, fabric swatches, or product finishes.

Getting the best palette from your photo

A few adjustments make a big difference in the quality of color you extract.

01

Use a high-resolution file

Higher-resolution photos give the k-means algorithm more pixel data to work with, producing more accurate and distinct color clusters with less noise.

02

Adjust the color count

For minimal, moody shots use 3–4 colors. For rich landscapes or complex scenes, try 8–12. The slider above lets you explore both ends without re-uploading.

03

Download as PNG for presentations

The PNG export includes all swatches with their hex codes labeled — ideal for client presentations, mood boards, or sharing your palette as a design reference.

04

Use color names for communication

Each swatch shows its nearest color name — "Cadet Blue", "Sandy Brown" — which helps when describing your palette to clients or collaborators without technical color knowledge.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about this workflow.

How do I get a color palette from a photo?+

Upload your photo to the tool above — drag and drop, browse, or paste from your clipboard. It instantly analyzes the image and returns the dominant colors as hex codes, RGB, HSL, and named swatches. No signup or software needed.

How many colors should I extract from a photograph?+

It depends on the photo. Minimalist shots — white walls, simple portraits, flat lays — usually work best with 3–5 colors. Complex scenes like landscapes, cityscapes, or detailed product shots can support 8–12 distinct colors without the palette feeling cluttered.

Can I use this to create a mood board?+

Yes. Extract the palette, then use the Download PNG button to save a color swatch file you can drop directly into Figma, Canva, Adobe Illustrator, or any mood board tool. The PNG shows each color block with its hex code labeled.

How do I get a consistent color palette for my social media feed?+

Upload your strongest, most representative photo — usually a hero shot that captures the feel of your brand. Extract 4–6 colors. Use those hex codes as the basis for editing and designing all new content, ensuring everything in your feed shares the same tonal identity.

Does this work with smartphone photos?+

Yes. JPEG photos from any smartphone are fully supported. For the cleanest extraction, use a photo that has been color-corrected or lightly edited rather than a raw or unprocessed file straight off the camera roll, as overexposed or underexposed areas can affect the palette.

More guides

Other ways to use Find Palette for your workflow.