Web/CSS/color

The color CSS property sets the foreground color value of an element's text and text decorations, and sets the currentcolor value. currentcolor may be used as an indirect value on other properties and is the default for other color properties, such as border-color.

For an overview of using color in HTML, see Applying color to HTML elements using CSS.

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
color: currentcolor;

/* <named-color> values */
color: red;
color: orange;
color: tan;
color: rebeccapurple;

/* <hex-color> values */
color: #090;
color: #009900;
color: #090a;
color: #009900aa;

/* <rgb()> values */
color: rgb(34, 12, 64, 0.6);
color: rgba(34, 12, 64, 0.6);
color: rgb(34 12 64 / 0.6);
color: rgba(34 12 64 / 0.3);
color: rgb(34.0 12 64 / 60%);
color: rgba(34.6 12 64 / 30%);

/* <hsl()> values */
color: hsl(30, 100%, 50%, 0.6);
color: hsla(30, 100%, 50%, 0.6);
color: hsl(30 100% 50% / 0.6);
color: hsla(30 100% 50% / 0.6);
color: hsl(30.0 100% 50% / 60%);
color: hsla(30.2 100% 50% / 60%);

/* Global values */
color: inherit;
color: initial;
color: unset;

The color property is specified as a single <color> value.

Note that the value must be a uniform color. It can't be a <gradient>, which is actually a type of <image>.

Values

<color>: Sets the color of the textual and decorative parts of the element.

Accessibility concerns

It is important to ensure that the contrast ratio between the color of the text and the background the text is placed over is high enough that people experiencing low vision conditions will be able to read the content of the page.

Color contrast ratio is determined by comparing the luminosity of the text and background color values. In order to meet current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a ratio of 4.5:1 is required for text content and 3:1 for larger text such as headings. Large text is defined as 18.66px and bold or larger, or 24px or larger.

Formal definition

Initial value	Varies from one browser to another
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter` and `::first-line`.
Inherited	yes
Computed value	If the value is translucent, the computed value will be the `rgba()` corresponding one. If it isn't, it will be the `rgb()` corresponding one. The `transparent` keyword maps to `rgba(0,0,0,0)`.
Animation type	a color

Formal syntax

<color>where <color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color>where <rgb()> = rgb( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgb( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<rgba()> = rgba( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgba( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<hsl()> = hsl( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )<hsla()> = hsla( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )where <alpha-value> = <number> | <percentage><hue> = <number> | <angle>

Examples

Making text red

The following are all ways to make a paragraph's text red:

p { color: red; }
p { color: #f00; }
p { color: #ff0000; }
p { color: rgb(255,0,0); }
p { color: rgb(100%, 0%, 0%); }
p { color: hsl(0, 100%, 50%); }

/* 50% translucent */
p { color: #ff000080; }
p { color: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5); } 
p { color: hsla(0, 100%, 50%, 0.5); }

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Color Module Level 4The definition of 'color' in that specification.	Working Draft	Adds commaless syntaxes for the `rgb()`, `rgba()`, `hsl()`, and `hsla()` functions. Allows alpha values in `rgb()` and `hsl()`, turning `rgba()` and `hsla()` into (deprecated) aliases for them. Adds color keyword `rebeccapurple`. Adds 4- and 8-digit hex color values, where the last digit(s) represents the alpha value. Adds `hwb()`, `device-cmyk()`, and `color()` functions.
CSS Color Module Level 3The definition of 'color' in that specification.	Recommendation	Deprecates system-colors. Adds SVG colors. Adds the `rgba()`, `hsl()`, and `hsla()` functions.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)The definition of 'color' in that specification.	Recommendation	Adds the `orange` color and the system colors.
CSS Level 1The definition of 'color' in that specification.	Recommendation	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`color`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 3	Opera Full support 3.5	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support: Full support