Pantone to HEX
Search more than 500 Pantone Solid Coated colors and Colors of the Year to get approximate HEX, RGB, CMYK and HSL values, or match any screen color to its closest Pantone codes.
Nearest Pantone matches
ΔE 2000 under 1 is barely visible, 1 to 3 is a close match, above 5 is a clearly different color.
HEX, RGB and CMYK values are approximate screen equivalents for reference only; colors on screen cannot reproduce printed ink exactly. Check a physical Pantone guide before printing. PANTONE® is a trademark of Pantone LLC. This tool is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone.
How to use the Pantone to HEX
- Type a Pantone code such as 186, 286 C or Reflex Blue into the search box, or filter by color family.
- Click a swatch to see its HEX, RGB, CMYK and HSL values. The HEX code is copied automatically.
- Copy any value with the Copy buttons in the details panel.
- To go the other way, enter a HEX or RGB color in the reverse lookup box or use the picker, then press Convert to Pantone.
- Compare the Delta E values to judge how close each suggested Pantone color is, and confirm with a printed guide.
Popular Pantone colors and their HEX codes
| Pantone | HEX | RGB | Often used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PMS 186 C | #C8102E | 200, 16, 46 | Classic bright red in sports and retail brands |
| PMS 485 C | #DA291C | 218, 41, 28 | Warm, orange-leaning red |
| PMS 7621 C | #AB2328 | 171, 35, 40 | Deep brick red |
| PMS 286 C | #0033A0 | 0, 51, 160 | Strong royal blue |
| PMS 285 C | #0072CE | 0, 114, 206 | Bright corporate blue |
| Reflex Blue C | #001489 | 0, 20, 137 | Deep ultramarine, common in flags and finance |
| PMS 347 C | #009A44 | 0, 154, 68 | Vivid kelly green |
| PMS 123 C | #FFC72C | 255, 199, 44 | Golden yellow |
| PMS 021 C | #FE5000 | 254, 80, 0 | Pantone's base orange |
| Cool Gray 11 C | #53565A | 83, 86, 90 | Neutral dark gray for text and UI |
Why screen and print never match perfectly
A Pantone color is a specific ink mixed to a formula and printed on a known paper. Your screen makes color by mixing red, green and blue light, and the sRGB color space it uses cannot show every ink. Saturated oranges, greens, neons such as 802 C, and all metallic and pastel inks are partly or fully outside sRGB, so their HEX values are the closest displayable color, not an exact copy.
The same Pantone number also looks different on coated (C) and uncoated (U) paper, because uncoated paper absorbs more ink. This list uses Solid Coated values. If your project is printed on uncoated stock, expect softer, lighter results.
How the nearest-match search works
Simply comparing RGB numbers gives poor matches because RGB is not perceptually even. The reverse lookup converts each color to CIELAB (D65 white point), which is designed so that equal distances look roughly equally different, and then measures the difference with the CIEDE2000 formula. CIEDE2000 corrects CIELAB's remaining weaknesses in blues, grays and saturated colors.
| Delta E 2000 | What it means |
|---|---|
| Below 1 | Not noticeable to most people |
| 1 to 2 | Visible only on close side-by-side inspection |
| 2 to 5 | Noticeable, but clearly the same color family |
| Above 5 | Clearly different colors |
For brand work, pick the match with the lowest Delta E, then confirm it against a physical swatch book under daylight-balanced light.
Frequently asked questions
What is the HEX code for Pantone 186 C?
Pantone 186 C is usually shown on screen as #C8102E (RGB 200, 16, 46). Like all values here, it is a screen approximation of the printed ink.
Are these HEX values exact?
No. Pantone colors are physical inks, and many of them, especially bright oranges, neons and metallics, are outside the range a normal sRGB screen can show. The HEX values are the commonly used screen equivalents and are fine for web and presentation work, but always check a printed Pantone guide before approving print.
How do I find the Pantone color closest to my HEX code?
Enter the HEX or RGB value in the reverse lookup box. The tool converts it to CIELAB and ranks every Pantone color in the list by CIEDE2000 difference. A Delta E below 2 is a very close match; above 5 the colors look clearly different.
What do C, U and TCX mean after a Pantone number?
C means Coated, printed on glossy coated paper. U means Uncoated paper, which makes the same ink look duller and lighter. TCX codes such as 18-1750 belong to the Fashion, Home + Interiors system used for textiles, and are how Colors of the Year are published.
Why is the CMYK value different from my printer's Pantone bridge guide?
The CMYK numbers here are calculated directly from RGB, which ignores paper, ink and press profiles. Pantone's Color Bridge guide gives tested process builds that usually differ. Use your printer's profile or the official guide for production files.
Is this tool connected to Pantone?
No. PANTONE is a trademark of Pantone LLC. This is an independent reference tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone. It contains no official color data files.
What is the 2026 Pantone Color of the Year?
Pantone named Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201) as Color of the Year 2026, a soft off-white. The list includes every Color of the Year since Cerulean in 2000.