Web safe color picker

COLOR   WEB-SAFE
 
 

What is a Web-Safe Color Picker?
A web-safe color picker is a tool that helps you choose from the 216 "web-safe" colors — a standardized palette designed to display consistently across older computer monitors and web browsers. These colors use a limited set of hexadecimal values:

  • Red, Green, Blue values: 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, and FF
  • Because there are 6 possible values per color channel, the total number of possible combinations is 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 colors.

Examples of web-safe colors:

  • #003399 (Deep blue)
  • #66CC66 (Soft green)
  • #FFCC00 (Golden yellow)

Why use a Web-Safe Color Picker?

  • Historical consistency: In the early days of the web, many monitors could only display 256 colors. Web-safe colors ensured your website looked the same on every device.
  • Avoiding dithering: When non-web-safe colors were used, older displays sometimes created a grainy or speckled effect called dithering. Web-safe colors prevented this.
  • Simplified palette: A limited set of colors can help keep your designs clean and consistent.

How does a Web-Safe Color Picker work?

  • The picker typically shows a 6x6x6 color grid representing the 216 web-safe colors.
  • You choose colors by their Hex codes, like #336699 or #FF9900.
  • Each color’s RGB values are always in the set of six possible hex values: 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, FF.

When would you use a Web-Safe Color Picker?

  • Older systems or legacy projects: If you’re building something designed for older hardware or vintage web aesthetics.
  • Pixel art and retro design: Web-safe colors are great for creating a nostalgic, low-color look.
  • Design consistency: If you want to ensure uniform color display across devices — though modern screens usually handle the full color spectrum now.