Cyan 500 Color / Colour Code #06B6D4
This page shows the hex color code for cyan 500 (#06B6D4). The colour is a cyan tone with 94% saturation and 43% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #06B6D4 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#06B6D4 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 159, 189, and 219 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 189, 309, and 69 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #06B6D4
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 189 and saturation at 94%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 189 to 234 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 189 with its complement at 9 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #06B6D4
Lightness variations at hue 189 and 94% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #06B6D4
Design Use Cases for #06B6D4
High-Impact Accent
With 94% saturation, #06B6D4 is highly vivid. Reserve this for elements that need maximum attention: primary action buttons, notification badges, error states, or promotional banners. Use sparingly alongside neutral tones to avoid visual fatigue.
Primary Interface Color
At 43% lightness, #06B6D4 is in the mid-range, making it ideal for interactive elements like buttons, links, and selected states. This lightness level ensures good contrast against both light and dark adjacent elements in most layouts.
Clarity & Technology
#06B6D4 is in the cyan spectrum (hue 189). Cyan evokes technology, clarity, and innovation. It works well for tech product interfaces, data visualization accents, loading indicators, and futuristic design themes. Cyan provides a modern alternative to traditional blues.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #06B6D4 (hue 189) to its complement at hue 9. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 219. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #06b6d4, #d52607);
CSS Code for #06B6D4
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #06B6D4 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #06B6D4 across image editing and color design tools.
About Cyan 500 (#06B6D4)
#06B6D4 is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 6 red, 182 green, and 212 blue. The blue channel is dominant by a ratio of 35.3:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 189 degrees with 94% saturation and 43% lightness, placing it in the cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #06B6D4 is 133/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This is a medium-brightness color that can work with either dark or light text depending on font weight and size. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 97% cyan, 14% magenta, 0% yellow, and 17% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #06B6D4 against white is 2.43:1 and against black is 8.65:1. This does not meet AA requirements on white. Use it on dark backgrounds where it achieves 8.65:1, or use it exclusively for decorative purposes.
The complementary colour #D52607 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #06B6D4. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #07D58D and #074FD5, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #06B6D4
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #06B6D4?
- #06B6D4 is Cyan 500, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(6, 182, 212), HSL(189, 94%, 43%), and CMYK(97%, 14%, 0%, 17%). Its perceived brightness is 133/255.
- Is #06B6D4 accessible for text?
- Against white, #06B6D4 has a contrast ratio of 2.43:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 8.65:1 (passes AA). Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #06B6D4?
- The complementary colour is #D52607 (hue 9). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #07D58D and #074FD5. The triadic palette adds #D507B6 and #B6D507 for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #06B6D4 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #06b6d4; or rgb(6, 182, 212); or hsl(189, 94%, 43%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 189 94% 43%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.