Cyan

Also known as: Looney Blue, Spanish Sky Blue, Crisp Cyan, Arctic Water

Cyan is a medium, vivid cyan that reads as clean and modern. It shines in water themes and healthcare apps. Reach for a red companion shade to give Cyan maximum contrast. For accessible text, use it on black or near-black backgrounds (16.75:1, passes WCAG AA) rather than white.

Cyan color codes

HEX
#00FFFF
RGB
rgb(0, 255, 255)
RGBA
rgba(0, 255, 255, 1)
HSL
hsl(180, 100%, 50%)
HSV
hsv(180, 100%, 100%)
CMYK
cmyk(100%, 0%, 0%, 0%)
LAB
lab(90.7 -50.7 -15.0)
OKLCH
oklch(90.5% 0.155 194.8)

Color intelligence

sRGB safe

Displays accurately on every screen and translates well to print.

Temperature

CoolWarm

cool

Nearest standard colors

  • CSS: aqua#00FFFF · ΔE 0.0
  • RAL 6027 — Light green#81C0BB · ΔE 16.4 · approximate

RAL values are widely published approximations of the physical standard. For Pantone-adjacent workflows, match by eye against a physical fan deck — Pantone's values are proprietary and device-dependent, so we don't print lookups.

Where Cyan works

  • Web & UI: Reads as an interactive accent: fills, hovers, focus rings. Keep body text in a darker neutral.
  • Interiors: Use it where you want the eye to land — front door, built-ins, or one bold wall.
  • Fashion: One garment in this color carries an outfit; two starts to compete.
  • Branding: The safest brand-primary family there is; differentiate with an unexpected accent.
  • Web & UI: Use it decoratively — dividers, chart series, illustration accents — and let neutrals carry the type.
  • Branding: Best in a brand's supporting palette — packaging interiors, patterns, campaign accents.

Copy as — every ecosystem

Tints, shades, and tones of Cyan

Tints (lighter)

Shades (darker)

Tones (muted)

Color harmonies

Palettes built from Cyan by rotating its hue in OKLCH space. Click any swatch to copy its hex code.

Complementary

Analogous

Triadic

Split-complementary

Tetradic

Monochromatic

Contrast & accessibility

Aa — on white

contrast 1.25:1

AA failAAA failAA large fail

Aa — on black

contrast 16.75:1

AA passAAA passAA large pass

Best text color on a Cyan background: #000000

Palettes featuring Cyan

Cyan with its complement

Soft neighbors of Cyan

Cyan triad

Similar colors

Looking for maximum contrast instead? The complement of Cyan is closest to Love Fumes.

Cyan FAQs

What color is Cyan?

Cyan is a medium cyan with the hex code #00FFFF. In HSL terms it has a hue of 180°, 100% saturation, and 50% lightness.

What is the hex code for Cyan?

The hex code for Cyan is #00FFFF. In RGB it's rgb(0, 255, 255), and in CMYK it's cmyk(100%, 0%, 0%, 0%).

What colors go well with Cyan?

Cyan pairs naturally with red tones from its complementary harmony, and with pink accents from its split-complementary palette. Its own tints and shades always work as a monochrome scheme.

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