Color Hue Test
Four rows of colored caps run around the color wheel. The caps at each end are fixed: drag the ones in between so the colors change gradually from one end to the other. Then check your score to see your total error score and a chart of which hues gave you trouble.
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Drag the caps in each row so the colors change gradually from the left pinned cap to the right one.
Mouse / touch: drag a cap, or tap a cap and then tap where it should go. Keyboard: Tab to a cap, Space to pick it up, ← → to move, Space to drop, ↑ ↓ to change row.
How to use the Color Hue Test
- Pick a test length: Quick, Standard or Expert. Each row is shuffled; the caps with a pin are fixed. The timer starts with your first move.
- Drag the caps in each row so the colors flow smoothly from the left fixed cap to the right one. On touch screens you can also tap a cap, then tap where it should go.
- Compare neighbors: each cap should sit between the two caps it is most similar to.
- Press Check my score when every row looks right.
- Read the results: total error score, rating, misplaced caps and the radial error chart.
How the scoring works
The caps are numbered by their true position around the hue circle. After you arrange a row, each cap is scored by its neighbors:
cap score = |cap − left neighbor| + |cap − right neighbor|
A cap that sits between its two true neighbors scores 2. The total error score is the sum of (cap score − 2) over all caps, so a perfect test scores 0. Swapping two neighboring caps adds 4 to 6 points; a cap dropped far from its place adds much more.
| Example arrangement | Cap scores | Error added |
|---|---|---|
| … 4 5 6 7 8 … | all 2 | 0 |
| … 4 6 5 7 8 … | 4→3, 6→3, 5→3, 7→3 | 4 |
| … 4 5 9 6 7 … (9 taken from between 8 and 10) | 5→5, 9→7, 6→4, and 8→3, 10→3 now that they touch | 12 |
Test lengths and rating ranges
| Length | Hues on the circle | Movable caps | Superior | Average | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick | 32 | 28 (4 rows × 7) | 0 to 5 | 6 to 33 | over 33 |
| Standard | 64 | 60 (4 rows × 15) | 0 to 11 | 12 to 71 | over 71 |
| Expert | 88 | 84 (4 rows × 21) | 0 to 16 | 17 to 100 | over 100 |
The Expert ranges follow the commonly cited guide values for the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test (85 caps). The shorter lengths scale those values by the number of caps. Treat all of them as a rough guide for a screen test.
How the colors are made
All caps share the same lightness and the same saturation in the OKLCH color space (L = 0.70, C = 0.105) and differ only in hue, spaced evenly around the full circle. Because only hue changes, the task cannot be solved by sorting from light to dark. These values were chosen so every hue fits inside the sRGB gamut of ordinary screens. Small differences still depend on your display: a wide-gamut, calibrated screen in neutral light gives the most consistent results.
Reading the error chart
- A small, round shape close to the inner circle means few errors spread evenly: good discrimination.
- Isolated spikes usually mean single misplaced caps, often from a quick drag.
- Two clusters on opposite sides of the circle form an axis. In clinical FM100 testing such axes are one pattern specialists examine; on a screen they can also come from display limitations. See an eye care professional if you have concerns about your color vision.
Frequently asked questions
How is the color hue test scored?
Every cap has a number for its true position on the hue circle. Each cap's score is the difference to its left neighbor plus the difference to its right neighbor, so a cap between its true neighbors scores 2. The total error score adds up (cap score − 2) over every cap, including the pinned ones, so 0 means a perfect arrangement. This is the scoring method used for the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test.
What is a good score?
0 is perfect. For the Expert length (84 caps, close to the 85 caps of the original test), the ranges published for the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test are a rough guide: about 0 to 16 superior discrimination, 20 to 100 average, and above 100 low. The Quick and Standard lengths use bigger color steps, so this tool scales those ranges by the number of caps. Scores also tend to get worse with age.
Is this the official Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test?
No. The original uses physical caps with carefully specified Munsell colors viewed under standard daylight lighting. This is a free screen-based version in the same style. Your monitor, its settings and the room light all change what you see, so the result is for practice and curiosity, not a diagnosis.
What does the radial error chart show?
The chart wraps the hue circle into a ring. Each spoke is one cap, and the farther the line moves outward, the higher that cap's score. Errors that cluster on two opposite sides of the circle form an axis. In the original test, the angle of such an axis is one of the patterns eye care professionals look at, but a screen test cannot tell you whether you have a color vision deficiency.
Why are the fixed caps there?
Each row starts and ends with a fixed reference cap, so you know which colors the row should run between. The end cap of one row is the start cap of the next, so the four rows together make one continuous circle of hues.
How can I get a fair result?
Turn off night-light, blue-light filters and color effects, set a comfortable high brightness, look at the screen straight on and avoid colored light in the room. Take your time: there is no time limit, the timer is only shown for your own reference.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.