Image Color Palette Extractor
Extract dominant colors from any image and export palettes in multiple formats
Drop an image here or click to upload
Supports PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP
Extracted Palette
What is Color Palette Extractor?
The Image Color Palette Extractor analyzes any uploaded image and identifies its most dominant colors using advanced color quantization algorithms. Whether you are designing a game UI, choosing a color scheme for pixel art, building a website theme, or seeking artistic inspiration, this tool breaks down complex images into their essential color building blocks. All processing happens entirely in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API, so your images are never uploaded to any server. Simply drag and drop an image, choose how many colors you want in your palette, and the tool will deliver accurate hex, RGB, and HSL values for each dominant color. You can then export the results in a variety of developer-friendly formats including CSS custom properties, JSON arrays, PNG swatches, or a plain text list.
Features
Multi-Format Image Support
Upload images in PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, or BMP format. The tool handles a wide range of image types so you can extract palettes from screenshots, concept art, photographs, sprites, and more without conversion.
Adjustable Palette Size
Choose exactly how many colors you need: 4 for a minimalist scheme, 6 or 8 for balanced palettes, or up to 16 for detailed color breakdowns. Tailor the output to your specific project requirements.
Color Quantization Algorithm
Uses a median cut quantization approach to group similar pixels and identify truly dominant colors rather than random sampling. This produces accurate, visually representative palettes every time.
Complete Color Information
Every extracted color displays its hex code, RGB values, and HSL values simultaneously. No need to convert between formats manually. Click any swatch to instantly copy its hex code to your clipboard.
Multiple Export Formats
Export your palette as a PNG image for sharing, CSS custom properties for web development, a JSON array for programmatic use, or a simple text list. Each format is production-ready and immediately usable.
100% Client-Side Processing
All image analysis runs locally in your browser using the Canvas API. Your images never leave your device, ensuring complete privacy. No server uploads, no accounts, no data collection whatsoever.
How to Use
- Upload Your Image: Click the upload area or drag and drop an image file onto it. The tool accepts PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, and BMP formats. There is no file size limit beyond your browser's memory capacity.
- Select Palette Size: Use the dropdown menu to choose how many colors you want extracted. Options range from 4 to 16 colors. A smaller palette captures only the most dominant hues, while a larger one reveals more subtle color variations.
- Extract the Palette: Click the "Extract Palette" button to begin analysis. The tool will sample the image pixels, run the quantization algorithm, and display the results in just a moment.
- Review the Results: The original image appears on the left and the extracted color swatches on the right. Each swatch shows a color preview block along with its hex, RGB, and HSL values for quick reference.
- Copy Individual Colors: Click any color swatch to copy its hex code to your clipboard. A brief "Copied!" confirmation will appear on the swatch. Paste the value directly into your code editor or design tool.
- Export the Full Palette: Use the export buttons below the palette to download the entire color set. Choose PNG for a visual reference image, CSS for custom properties, JSON for data, or Text for a plain list of values.
Frequently Asked Questions
What image formats are supported?
The Color Palette Extractor supports PNG, JPG/JPEG, WebP, GIF, and BMP image formats. These cover the vast majority of image files you will encounter. If your image is in a different format such as TIFF or SVG, convert it to PNG or JPG first using any standard image converter before uploading.
How does the color extraction algorithm work?
The tool uses a median cut color quantization algorithm. It samples pixels from the image, builds a three-dimensional color space (red, green, blue), and recursively splits the largest color volume along its longest axis. This process groups similar colors together and identifies the most visually dominant clusters, producing a representative palette.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. All processing happens entirely in your web browser using the HTML5 Canvas API and JavaScript. Your image data never leaves your device. There are no server uploads, no external API calls, and no data stored anywhere. This makes the tool safe to use with proprietary or sensitive artwork.
Which palette size should I choose?
It depends on your use case. For a simple color scheme or minimal pixel art, 4 colors is ideal. For UI themes and general design work, 6 or 8 colors provide a well-rounded palette. Choose 12 or 16 colors when you need to capture gradients, subtle tonal shifts, or the full range of a complex photograph or illustration.
Can I use the extracted colors commercially?
Absolutely. Colors themselves are not subject to copyright. Once you extract a palette, you are free to use those color values in any personal, commercial, or open-source project. The tool simply identifies the hex, RGB, and HSL values present in your image. What you do with those values is entirely up to you.
Why do the extracted colors not match exactly what I see?
The quantization algorithm groups similar pixels into clusters and returns the average color of each cluster. This means individual pixel-level colors may be slightly adjusted to represent the dominant trend of a region. For most design purposes this produces better, more usable palettes than exact pixel picking would. If you need a specific pixel's exact color, consider using a dedicated color picker tool instead.