How to use Color picker

Steps, videos and tips for the tool.

Pick a color with the camera or from a photo, compare shades and keep colors or palettes for your next project.

Watch how it works.

Video coming soon

Getting started

Choose a section or screen layout

From Home, choose the section you need. Settings › Screen layout switches between Home and Camera app; the app keeps your choice.

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Read the steps

Basics

Step by step.

Get started

  1. Choose a section or screen layout

    From Home, choose the section you need. Settings › Screen layout switches between Home and Camera app; the app keeps your choice.

  2. Open saved work and export

    Open Saved to review colors, palettes and history. Open a color for its codes and related shades. Share a PNG card, or choose an export format available in your plan.

Measure

  1. Create colors and palettes

    Open Create for the wheel, harmonies, material colors, gradients, mixing and color lists. Save a result to keep it for later.

  2. Pick a color with the camera

    Open Pick a color, allow camera access and move the lens over a surface. Read its name and code, then Save it or copy the code.

  3. Compare colors

    Open Compare, pick the two colors from the camera or saved colors and inspect them side by side.

  4. Explore Color vision

    Open Color vision to simulate color-vision differences, highlight a hue or choose a display view. Camera readings continue to use the original colors.

  5. Use a photo

    Open Image and choose a photo, or share a picture to Color Picker from another app. Pick colors on the photo; Main colors can make a palette with Plus.

  6. Try effects or repaint a wall

    Effects makes a separate PNG copy. Paint a wall uses a tap to select an object, then applies the chosen paint while preserving its light and texture. These extras are marked with their plan.

  7. Learn a feature in context

    Open Tour & lessons from the section menu or Settings. Watch the Tour, open a Showroom feature or start a live-camera Lesson. Lesson saves and settings are practice only and are restored when it ends.

Guided tour

Try these steps in the app. All tour instructions stay readable here.

  1. Find a color

    Point the camera at a familiar object and move the sampling lens. Notice how the name and codes change.

  2. Compare and create

    Keep a color, compare it with a second one, then use Create to build a palette or gradient.

  3. Keep your palette

    Open Saved, select your result and copy a code or share it in a format your plan offers.

Get the tool.

Find Color picker in these apps.

ToolboxColor Picker

Tips.

Use even lighting and avoid glare, cast shadows and reflections when sampling a material.

Choose a small spot for a thread or detail and a wider spot to average a textured wall. Keep the lens on the material you intend to sample.

When comparing two samples, keep lighting and camera brightness/tint consistent. Keep camera settings prevents automatic changes between readings.

Calibrate with a white paper, gray card or color chart in the same light as the sample. Recheck when you move to different lighting.

Hold freezes the picture and reading while still letting you move the lens; Save keeps the color in Saved.

Sample photos through Image when the subject is already captured. Main colors can build a palette where the app’s plan allows it.

Effects and wall paint previews create a copy. Compare a real paint sample in the intended light before choosing a finish.

Camera display effects do not alter the original color used for names and codes. Use the code from the reading rather than judging a simulated display by eye.

Still stuck?

Ask the forum.

Search what others asked, or start a thread.

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Tell us what you’re measuring and which app you use.

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