Free Color Palette Generator
Generate beautiful color palettes instantly. Extract colors from images or create random harmonious schemes. No signup required.
Press Space to generate a new palette. Click any color code to copy it.
What Is a Color Palette Generator?
A color palette generator creates harmonious sets of colors that work well together. Designers, content creators, marketers, and developers use color palettes to establish consistent visual identities across websites, social media graphics, video thumbnails, presentations, and brand materials. Good color harmony isn't random — it follows principles from color theory. Complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel) create high contrast and energy. Analogous colors (neighbors on the wheel) feel cohesive and calm. Triadic colors (evenly spaced) offer vibrant variety while maintaining balance. Our free color palette generator lets you create palettes using these harmony rules, extract palettes from your existing images, and lock favorite colors while regenerating the rest. Every color code is available in HEX (for web/CSS), RGB (for digital design), and HSL (for programmatic color manipulation) — ready to copy and use anywhere.
How Does Color Palette Generation Work?
The generator uses two core methods. For random palette generation, it starts with a random base hue (0-360 on the color wheel), then calculates additional colors using harmony rules: complementary (180 degrees apart), analogous (30 degrees apart), triadic (120 degrees apart), or split-complementary (150 and 210 degrees from the base). Saturation and lightness are varied within pleasing ranges to create depth and usability — typically one or two darker shades for text and backgrounds, and brighter tones for accents and highlights. For image-based extraction, the tool draws the uploaded image onto an HTML5 Canvas element, reads pixel data using getImageData(), then applies a color quantization algorithm. This algorithm groups similar pixels together using a median-cut approach — repeatedly splitting the color space along its longest dimension — until the desired number of representative colors remains. The result is a palette that captures the most visually prominent colors from your image, sorted by dominance.
Features
- ✓Generate random harmonious color palettes
- ✓Extract color palettes from uploaded images
- ✓Copy HEX, RGB, and HSL color codes with one click
- ✓Lock individual colors while regenerating others
- ✓Export palette as PNG image
- ✓Client-side processing — your images never leave your browser
Benefits
Instant Professional Color Schemes
Stop guessing which colors work together. The generator applies color theory mathematics to produce palettes that are inherently harmonious. Each palette follows established principles like complementary contrast, analogous cohesion, or triadic balance — the same foundations professional designers use.
Extract Palettes from Any Image
Upload a photo, screenshot, or design inspiration and the tool extracts the dominant colors automatically. This is invaluable for matching a website design to brand photography, creating social media graphics that complement a product image, or building a color system from a mood board.
One-Click Copy in Any Format
Every color is available in HEX (#FF5733), RGB (rgb(255, 87, 51)), and HSL (hsl(14, 100%, 60%)) format. Click any code to copy it to your clipboard instantly. Use HEX for CSS and web design, RGB for graphic editors, and HSL for programmatic color manipulation.
Lock and Iterate
Found one perfect color but need better companions? Lock that color and regenerate the rest. This workflow lets you build palettes incrementally — lock your brand's primary color, then find the ideal accent and neutral tones to complement it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this color palette generator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup, no watermarks, and no usage limits. Generate and export as many palettes as you need. All features are available without any premium tier.
What color formats are supported?
Every color is available in three formats: HEX (e.g., #3B82F6 — used in web/CSS), RGB (e.g., rgb(59, 130, 246) — used in design software), and HSL (e.g., hsl(217, 91%, 60%) — used in programmatic color manipulation). Click any color code to copy it to your clipboard.
How does image color extraction work?
When you upload an image, the tool draws it on an HTML5 Canvas element and reads all pixel color data. A median-cut quantization algorithm then groups similar colors and identifies the most visually dominant ones. The result is a palette representing the image's key colors, sorted by how prominent each color is in the image.
Can I lock colors while generating new palettes?
Yes. Click the lock icon on any color to keep it fixed. When you generate a new palette, locked colors remain in place while unlocked positions get new harmonious colors. This lets you build palettes incrementally around your key brand or design colors.
What is color harmony and why does it matter?
Color harmony refers to color combinations that are visually pleasing based on their positions on the color wheel. Complementary colors (opposite on the wheel) create energetic contrast. Analogous colors (adjacent) feel cohesive. Triadic colors (evenly spaced) offer vibrant variety. Using harmonious palettes makes designs look professional and intentional rather than random.
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