Convert any HEX color code to its closest NCS (Natural Color System) notation — or go the other way, from NCS to HEX. Free, instant, no signup required.
How It Works
HEX to NCS conversion works by finding the closest color match, not an exact one.
NCS (Natural Color System) is a proprietary color standard that describes color using three values: blackness, chromaticness, and hue — for example, S 1050-Y90R. Because NCS is not built on the same RGB/HEX model as digital screens, there’s no direct mathematical formula that converts one into the other exactly.
This tool works around that by converting your HEX color into CIE Lab color space, then comparing it against a wide range of possible NCS values to find the one with the smallest visual difference (ΔE). CIE Lab is used instead of simple RGB distance because it’s built to match how the human eye actually perceives color differences — two colors that look similar to your eyes stay close together in Lab space too.
The result is the nearest practical NCS equivalent for your HEX color, along with a ΔE score so you can see how close the match is.
When to Use This Tool
- Matching a website or brand color to a paint or print swatch — useful when a client or designer wants to check a HEX brand color against physical NCS color chips.
- Going from NCS to digital — if you have an NCS code from a paint deck or design spec and need a usable HEX/RGB value for a website, mockup, or CSS file.
- Comparing design systems — helpful when a project touches both digital assets (HEX-based) and physical materials (NCS-based), such as signage, packaging, or interior branding tied to a WordPress-built site.
FAQ
How do I convert a HEX code to NCS?
Enter your HEX color code into the HEX to NCS converter above, or pick a color with the color swatch — the tool instantly returns the closest matching NCS notation, along with the HEX and RGB values for reference.
Is there an exact HEX to NCS conversion?
No — NCS is a proprietary color system that isn’t built on the same model as HEX or RGB, so any HEX to NCS conversion is an approximation based on the closest visual match, not an exact one-to-one formula.
How do I convert an NCS color to HEX?
Switch to the NCS to HEX tab, enter the NCS notation (for example, S 1050-Y90R), and the tool returns the closest matching HEX and RGB values.
What does an NCS notation like S 1050-Y90R mean?
The number after S is the blackness and chromaticness (10% blackness, 50% chromaticness in this example), and the code after the dash is the hue — Y90R means a hue that’s 90% of the way from yellow toward red.