How to Find the Exact Colors of Your Logo

The most reliable way to find your logo’s exact colors is to open the original vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) and read the color values from its fills, or to check a brand guide or printed proof that lists them. If you only have an image, you can sample colors with an eyedropper tool to get RGB and HEX values, but Pantone and CMYK values from an image are estimates that should be checked against a physical swatch.

The four color systems in plain English

Logo colors get named in four different ways, and each one exists for a reason. Knowing which one a person is asking for saves a lot of back-and-forth.

System	Used for	What it looks like
Pantone (PMS)	Screen printing, embroidery thread matching, signs, branded packaging	A name such as "PMS 186 C"
CMYK	Full-color printing (flyers, brochures, business cards, banners)	Four percentages, such as C0 M100 Y81 K4
RGB	Anything shown on a screen	Three numbers from 0 to 255, such as 200, 16, 46
HEX	Websites, apps, social media graphics	A six-character code, such as #C8102E

HEX and RGB are the same color written two ways. CMYK and Pantone are different systems built for ink, so they can only approximate what you see on a screen.

Step 1: Look for colors that were already documented

Before sampling anything, check the places where someone may have written the colors down:

• A brand guide or style guide. If a designer ever made your logo, you may have received a PDF listing every color in several systems.
• The original logo file. Vector files store colors as editable fills (more on that below).
• Your website. Colors are written in the site’s code, usually as HEX values.
• Old print jobs. Invoices, proofs or emails from a screen printer, embroiderer or sign maker often name the Pantone colors used.
• Website builders and design apps. Tools like Canva (Brand Kit), Squarespace and Wix keep a saved list of brand colors.
• Social media and email templates. A designer or marketing tool may have stored HEX codes there.

Step 2: Read the colors from a vector file

If you have an AI, EPS, SVG or PDF logo, the exact values are inside it. Not sure your file qualifies? Our guide on how to check whether your logo is really vector walks through it.

In Adobe Illustrator

1. Open the file and click a colored shape with the Selection tool.
2. Double-click the Fill swatch in the toolbar to open the color picker.
3. Read the HEX, RGB or CMYK values shown.
4. If the color is a saved swatch, open the Swatches panel. A Pantone color will show its name, such as "PANTONE 286 C."

Check the document’s color mode under File > Document Color Mode. A file set to RGB will show RGB-based values even if the logo was meant for print.

In free tools

In Inkscape, select a shape and open Fill and Stroke (Ctrl+Shift+F) to see the RGBA code. You can also open an SVG in a text editor and search for "fill" to see the HEX codes written out.

Step 3: Sample colors from an image

If all you have is a PNG, JPEG, screenshot or photo, you can still get a good starting point:

1. Open the image in a tool with an eyedropper, such as Photoshop, Photopea, GIMP or Canva.
2. Click in the middle of a solid color area, not near an edge. Edges blend colors together.
3. Read the HEX or RGB value.
4. Sample several spots in the same area and compare. If the numbers differ, your image has compression noise.

You can also use a screen color picker, such as the Digital Color Meter app on a Mac or the Color Picker in Microsoft PowerToys on Windows, to read any color on your display.

Why sampled colors can be wrong

• JPEG compression adds slight color variations around shapes, so no single pixel is guaranteed to be the true color.
• Photos of printed items reflect your lighting. A shirt photographed indoors will not give you the same values as one photographed in sunlight.
• Faded or aged items have shifted from their original color.
• Screenshots and displays can apply color profiles that nudge values slightly.

For a website, there is an easier route: right-click the page, choose Inspect, and look for color values in the styles panel. These come straight from the site’s code.

Step 4: Find the Pantone match

No screen can show a Pantone color accurately. Pantone colors are specific ink formulas, so the dependable method is physical:

1. Get a Pantone color guide (a printed swatch book), or visit a print shop that has one.
2. Hold your printed logo or product next to the swatches in daylight.
3. Pick the closest match and write down the full name, including the letter at the end.

That letter matters. "C" means coated paper and "U" means uncoated, and the same formula looks different on each. Tell your printer which one you are using.

Software can suggest a nearest Pantone to a HEX or RGB value, but treat that as a hint, not a final answer. If color accuracy matters, ask your screen printer or embroiderer to match against your physical sample. For more on how color counts affect that process, see our guide to preparing a logo for screen printing.

Converting between RGB, HEX and CMYK

• HEX to RGB is an exact conversion. Any color picker does it.
• RGB to CMYK is an approximation. Screens can display bright blues, greens and oranges that standard CMYK inks cannot reproduce, so those colors usually print duller.
• CMYK to RGB is safer, because most CMYK colors fit within what a screen can show.

This is why a vivid logo on your monitor can look flatter on a printed brochure. It is normal, not a sign your file is broken. If print results look off in other ways, why a vector logo may still print incorrectly covers other causes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using one value for every purpose. Keep a HEX for web, CMYK for digital printing and Pantone for spot-color jobs.
• Guessing from a phone photo. Lighting changes everything.
• Forgetting the coated or uncoated letter on a Pantone name.
• Trusting a single pixel. Compressed images need several samples.
• Not recording the result. Once you find your colors, write them down in one place.

When doing it yourself stops working

Sampling works well when you have a clean, high-quality image with large flat color areas. It falls apart when the only copy of your logo is a small screenshot, a blurry photo of a sign, a faded shirt or an old business card. In those cases the colors, the shapes and the file type all need fixing at once.

That is where recreating the logo makes sense. RedrawLogo redraws a design from any image you have and delivers clean vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and a high-resolution transparent PNG). In a vector file, each color is a defined fill, so you or your printer can read the values directly instead of guessing from pixels. If you own the design or have the right to use it, you can start by sending your image through the order page. Our post on recreating a logo when you lost the original files explains the process in more detail.

Save your colors once you find them

Create a simple one-page reference with the Pantone name (with C or U), CMYK percentages, RGB numbers and HEX code for each color. Store it with your logo files. The next time a printer, web designer or sign maker asks, you will have the answer ready.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the Pantone color of my logo?

Check your brand guide, the original vector file's swatches, or old invoices and proofs from printers. If none exist, compare your printed logo to a physical Pantone swatch book in daylight. Screens cannot show Pantone colors accurately, so software matches should be treated as estimates.

Can I get CMYK values from a JPEG or PNG?

You can sample a color and convert it to CMYK with software, but the result is an approximation. Images are usually stored in RGB, and the conversion can shift bright colors. For color-critical printing, confirm against a printed proof or a physical swatch.

What is the difference between HEX and RGB?

They describe the same color in two formats. RGB uses three numbers from 0 to 255 for red, green and blue, while HEX writes those same values as a six-character code starting with #. You can convert between them exactly.

Why does my logo look different printed than on my screen?

Screens create color with light (RGB), while printers use ink (CMYK or spot colors). Some bright screen colors fall outside what ink can reproduce, so they print duller. Paper type and lighting also change how a color looks.

Can I find my logo colors from a photo of a shirt or sign?

You can get a rough idea with an eyedropper tool, but lighting, fabric texture, fading and camera settings all change the result. Use the sample as a starting point and verify it against a physical swatch before ordering anything printed.