CMYK to RGB

Convert CMYK print values into RGB screen colors.

Cyan (C): 100%Magenta (M): 5%Yellow (Y): 0%Black (K): 0%Red: 0Green: 242Blue: 255

Color Presets

CMYK Input

C (0-100%)

M (0-100%)

Y (0-100%)

K (0-100%)

RGB Output

rgb(0, 242, 255)

From CMYK to RGB

To preview a print color on screen, CMYK ink percentages are converted back to additive RGB. Each channel is scaled by its complementary ink and dimmed by the black (Key) component. Because this is a device-independent formula rather than a color-managed transform, the on-screen result is a close approximation, not a proof. The calculation happens entirely in your browser.

Built and maintained by Meet Shah · Last updated 19 July 2026

What this tool is used for

Getting a screen approximation of a print colour specification.
Producing an RGB starting point from a printer's ink percentages.
Comparing a print palette against a screen one.
Converting a legacy print colour for a digital redesign.
Understanding roughly how a CMYK colour will appear on a display.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Rich Black preset look identical to plain black?: Because the formula multiplies every channel by (1 − K), so any colour with K at 100% collapses to rgb(0, 0, 0) whatever the CMY values are. On paper the difference is obvious — 100% K alone prints as a washed-out charcoal over a large area, which is why rich black exists — but this arithmetic cannot represent it.
How accurate is the conversion?: It is a device-independent approximation, not a colour-managed transform. A real conversion needs an ICC profile for the specific press and paper — US Web Coated SWOP, FOGRA39 — plus a rendering intent. Treat the swatch as an indication of hue, and never as a proof of what will print.
Why do printed colours look duller than the screen?: Because the two gamuts genuinely differ. Screens emit light additively and reach saturated cyans and greens no ink can match; paper reflects it subtractively. 100% cyan ink is noticeably duller than the rgb(0, 255, 255) shown here, and vivid RGB blues and oranges are the usual casualties in print.
What is total area coverage and why does it matter?: The sum of all four ink percentages. Presses cap it — commonly 240–300% depending on stock — because too much wet ink will not dry, and offsets onto the next sheet. The Rich Black preset here sits at 240%, which is deliberately inside a typical limit rather than the 400% four-channel maximum.
Why is K called Key rather than Black?: Because it names the key plate — historically the detail plate that the other colours were registered against, usually printed in black. The letter also avoids colliding with the B of RGB's blue, which is convenient but not the origin of the abbreviation.

Common errors and gotchas

Expecting an exact match, since CMYK is device-dependent and the conversion is an approximation.
Ignoring the colour profile, which determines the result far more than the numbers do.
Assuming a CMYK colour is displayable, when some inks fall outside a display's gamut.
Reading the result as a proof, when only a printed sample settles how the ink will look.
Treating the conversion as reversible, since a round trip loses information.