In the business of graphics and web design, identifying and copying colors can be quite tricky. And because there are practically millions of colors or shades of colors possible, those in the business have to use special tools and techniques to identify and copy them. In computing, colors are identified using universal color codes and there are several ways to get them. So, this time, we’ll discuss How to Pick a Color Code from an Image.
Getting the right color code is useful in composing websites using HTML or CSS, coding games, or even coding apps. Color values are identified using RGB or Hex values which can be fed into color variables. Or simply, getting the right values to copy or compose an image properly no matter the screen type or screen settings because the eyes can no longer be trusted to pick the proper color or shade among millions of available options. Without further ado, here’s How to Pick a Color Code from an Image through various apps and techniques.
1. Find a Color Code using Microsoft Paint
The easiest technique on How to Pick a Color Code from an Image is by using Microsoft Paint, or any similar paint program on other operating systems. To do this, simply load an image into Microsoft Paint by right-clicking on an image and selecting Edit. By default, the Windows image editor is Microsoft Paint. But in Windows 10, double-clicking an image other than a bitmap launches Photos. So be sure to right-click and press select Edit.
① Once Paint is open and the image is loaded, click on the Color Picker Tool which resembles a medicine dropper. In other graphics programs, the medicine dropper is recognized as a color-picking symbol.
② After clicking the color picker, simply click anywhere on an image. The color will be captured.
③ Click on Edit Colors to see the RGB (Red Green Blue) values of the chosen color.
④ Go to Google and search RGB to Hex. Type in RGB red, green, and blue values and Google will display the proper Hex value within its online color picker.
⑤ Copy the hex value and paste it into an image editor, website editor, or scripting app.
2. Identify Color using Instant Eyedropper Tool
The second approach on How to Pick a Color Code from an Image is by using Color Picker Software. In MS Paint, the color picker was a tool within the program. This time we’re using a dedicated color picking tool called Instant Eyedropper. Instant Eyedropper is a very small file but still requires installation.
① Download the file using the link provided.
② Once installed, it resides in the system tray with a color wheel icon.
③ To capture a color on the screen, simply click on the icon on the system tray and point anywhere on the screen. As the cursor hovers on the screen, it displays the hex value or the color where the cursor is currently located. To capture the color to the clipboard, simply click on the point chosen.
④ Copy the Hex value and paste it into an image editor, website editor, or scripting app.
Instant EyeDropper is fast and immediately does away with having to do the arduous procedure using Microsoft Paint. It’s practically the easiest way to capture a color onscreen.
3. Pick Color from Image using Colorzilla Chrome Extension
Another fast method of picking the color of an image is by using the Colorzilla Chrome extension.
① Open the Chrome Browser.
② Go to Google and type in Colorzilla Extension. Click the Chrome Web Store link as specified in the search result.
③ Click on the Add to Chrome button. The Colorzilla installed screen will appear.
④ To pick a color of an image in the browser, click on the Extensions button on the browser. Choose Colorzilla.
⑤ Move the cursor around the webpage. Select a point and left-click. The hex value will then be copied on the clipboard.
⑥ Paste it into an image editor, website editor, or scripting app.
⑦ To get the RGB Value, simply click again on Extensions, Choose Colorzilla and then select Color Picker among several tools available. There is also a settings screen (Options) where users can set a keyboard shortcut. The default is Ctrl-Alt-Z.
Colorzilla however is limited to whatever is contained within the browser and not other places on the screen. Also, this extension is limited only to Chrome and other Chrome-based browsers with extensions enabled.
4. Check Image Color Code using an Online Tool
Online tools are useful in case there are limitations to the operating system. For example, Chrome may not be installed, or the Paint app doesn’t have the same procedure as Microsoft’s or may not be available. In this case, we will be using this online tool, Imagecolorpicker.com.
① Open a browser and go to the website.
② Click on the ‘Use Your Image’ button. This button allows users to upload images to the website.
③ Once uploaded, the user can then hover the mouse over the image and click on the desired point.
④ The page displays both the hex code and RGB values, ready to be pasted onto an image editor, website editor, or scripting app.
⑤ There are other options aside from image uploads if the user has trust issues with the website. At the end of the options, there’s a Paste Clipboard option where the user can paste a screenshot. Same procedure – Paste the screenshot and repeat steps 3 and 4.
This approach is good for all platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. Instead of downloading any software, simply go online. However, there exist confidence issues when uploading private or corporate images to this or similar online tools. Also, the user has to be online for this option to work.
There you have it – 4 Ways to Pick a Color Code from an Image. We hope you find these directions useful and informative.
