Build a photo color palette
Choose 4 colors for a compact mood, 8 for a flexible design set, or 16 to preserve more nuance.
PaletteImage color palette generator and picker
Color Palette Extractor for palettes and exact pixels
Use the Color Palette Extractor to turn a photo, illustration, or screenshot into a reusable representative palette—or switch to the image color picker when you need the exact value of one pixel.
Select the whole image or one region, choose 4, 8, or 16 colors, and keep every file in your browser.
Color Palette Extractor with region selection
Upload or paste an image, draw a region if needed, then generate representative colors with estimated shares. Exact pixel picking stays in a separate mode so a sampled pixel is never presented as a dominant color.
Analyzing the whole image
Drag a box across the preview to analyze only that area.
Palette analysis, precise color picking, and exports run locally in this browser. Estimated shares come from a reduced sample for speed.
Representative palette
Add an image to extract its colors
JPG, PNG, WebP, and other browser-readable image formats work without an upload to our server.
You can also drag an image here or paste one from your clipboard.
Representative image palette
estimatedYour color swatches will appear here after you add an image.
Color Palette Extractor workflows
Move from color discovery to a practical creative task without treating one sampled pixel as a full palette.
Use the palette for pixel art
Send the selected colors and source image to the pixel art converter for a consistent limited-color result.
Connected workflowRead one exact pixel
Use the image color picker mode for a UI sample, edge color, background, or other precise point.
PreciseUse a Color Palette Extractor with the right intent
A palette summarizes an area; a picker reports one location. The two answers solve different problems.
Extract colors from image areas, not just the full frame
Draw around a product, sky, outfit, illustration panel, or background before extraction. Region analysis prevents unrelated parts of the photo from dominating the result, while transparent and selected background colors can be ignored.
Switch from palette summary to exact color picking
When a specific pixel matters, enlarge the preview and click it. Copy the decoded HEX or RGB value and its coordinates, or use the sampled color as the background color to exclude from the next palette.
How to use the Color Palette Extractor
Start broad, narrow the image area, and choose an output that matches your next step.
01
Add a photo, artwork, or screenshot
Upload, drag, or paste an image. The default 8-color result is a useful starting point for most design references.
- Use 4 colors for a compact direction
- Use 16 when small accents matter
02
Refine the representative palette
Draw a region, ignore transparency, exclude a background, and adjust similar-color merging before sorting by estimated share or brightness.
03
Copy, export, or continue
Copy one swatch, download a palette text file or 16:9 color card, or transfer the palette and image into the pixel art converter.
Color Palette Extractor FAQ
Search-informed answers about dominant colors, exact pixels, privacy, transparency, and practical palette size.
How do I extract colors from an image?
Add the image, choose 4, 8, or 16 colors, and keep the whole image selected or drag a box around the area you want to analyze. The tool groups sampled pixels into representative colors and shows an estimated share for each one.
What is the difference between a Color Palette Extractor and an image color picker?
A palette extractor analyzes many pixels and summarizes them as a small set of representative colors. An image color picker reads one exact decoded pixel at the point you click. Use the palette for visual direction and the picker for a specific value.
How many colors should an image color palette generator create?
Four colors work well for a tight mood or simple interface, eight give most projects a flexible photo color palette, and sixteen retain more accents and shading. More colors are not automatically better; choose the smallest set that keeps the distinctions you need.
Why are the color percentages marked as estimated?
The extractor reduces large image regions to a smaller sample for responsive browser performance, then groups similar pixels. Percentages describe that sample, so they are useful for comparison but are not an exact census of every source pixel.
Can I extract colors from only part of a photo?
Yes. In representative palette mode, drag a rectangle over the preview. Regeneration then uses that area only, which is useful when the subject and background have very different color distributions.
Does the Color Palette Extractor work with transparent PNG files?
Yes. Ignore transparent pixels is enabled by default so empty canvas areas do not skew the palette. Turn it off when transparency itself is relevant; colors with alpha are then shown with an eight-digit HEX value.
How do I remove a plain background from the palette?
Enable background exclusion and choose the background color. You can also pick an exact pixel from the background and send that value to the exclusion control. Nearby colors within a small tolerance are omitted.
Can I copy HEX and RGB values or export the entire palette?
Yes. Click a swatch to copy its HEX value, or download a text list with HEX, RGB, and estimated shares. You can also export a 16:9 PNG color card containing the selected image area and its palette.
Are extracted colors guaranteed to match print or physical materials?
No. The values reflect browser-decoded screen color. Displays, color profiles, printers, inks, paper, paint, and fabric can reproduce color differently, so use calibrated proofs or physical samples for production decisions.
Are my photos uploaded while the palette is generated?
No. Image decoding, sampling, exact pixel reading, and export generation happen in your browser. Closing or refreshing the page clears the working image; only an intentional handoff to the pixel art tool is stored temporarily in browser storage.
Open the Color Palette Extractor
Generate a representative palette from a whole image or selected region.
Switch modes when you need the exact HEX or RGB value of a single pixel.
Screen color values are references, not guarantees for print, brand compliance, or physical materials.