#42B2ED
Closest named color: Deep Sky Blue (#00BFFF). oklch(72.6% 0.131 235.9), rgb(66, 178, 237).
Aa
Black text reads best on this color (8.82:1).
About this color
#42B2ED is a medium-light, moderately saturated blue. In OKLCH its lightness is 73%, its chroma 0.131 and its hue 236°. Its hue sits on the cool side of the wheel. The nearest named color is Deep Sky Blue (#00BFFF), ΔE 0.039 away. Black text reads best on it, at 8.82:1.
| Hue family | Blues |
| Lightness | medium-light (73%) |
| Chroma | moderately saturated (0.131) |
| Temperature | cool |
| Nearest name | Deep Sky Blue (#00BFFF) |
| Black text | 8.82:1 |
| White text | 2.38:1 |
Values
| HEX | #42B2ED |
| RGB | rgb(66, 178, 237) |
| HSL | hsl(201, 83%, 59%) |
| OKLCH | oklch(72.6% 0.131 235.9) |
Contrast
WCAG 2 contrast ratios are the conformance target: AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, AAA needs 7:1. APCA Lc values are supplementary guidance from the WCAG 3 drafts.
| Pair | WCAG 2 | Result | APCA | APCA guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text on #42B2ED | 2.38:1 | Fails | Lc -51.5 | Large or bold text, headings |
| Black text on #42B2ED | 8.82:1 | AAA | Lc 57.4 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #42B2ED text on white | 2.38:1 | Fails | Lc 46.6 | Large or bold text, headings |
| #42B2ED text on black | 8.82:1 | AAA | Lc -55.5 | Large or bold text, headings |
Tints and shades
A 50–950 scale built in OKLCH: the hue is held, lightness follows a Tailwind v4-like curve, and every step is kept inside the sRGB gamut. This color sits at step 400.
-
Step 50
50
#EFF7FC
oklch(97.2% 0.011 234.8)
-
Step 100
100
#DCEDF8
oklch(93.7% 0.023 236)
-
Step 200
200
#BDDFF4
oklch(88.6% 0.046 235.2)
-
Step 300
300
#8CC9EF
oklch(80.8% 0.083 236.5)
-
Step 400
400 (this color)
#42B2ED
oklch(72.6% 0.131 235.9)
-
Step 500
500
#0094D0
oklch(63.1% 0.136 236.2)
-
Step 600
600
#007CAF
oklch(55.5% 0.12 236.1)
-
Step 700
700
#006994
oklch(49.2% 0.105 235.5)
-
Step 800
800
#00567A
oklch(42.8% 0.091 235.4)
-
Step 900
900
#004766
oklch(37.6% 0.081 235.8)
-
Step 950
950
#002A3F
oklch(27% 0.059 236.5)
#42B2ED with color blindness
Simulated with the Machado et al. (2009) model. ΔE is how far the color moves: below about 0.02 you would not notice a change.
| Vision | Seen as | Shift (ΔE) |
|---|---|---|
| Protanopia (no red cones) | #96B1F0 | 0.078 |
| Deuteranopia (no green cones) | #7EA1EC | 0.064 |
| Tritanopia (no blue cones) | #00C1C6 | 0.084 |
| Achromatopsia (no color) | #A8A8A8 | 0.131 |
Harmonies
Hue rotations in OKLCH that keep this color's lightness and chroma.
Complementary
The opposite hue (180°).
- #42B2ED
#42B2ED
oklch(72.6% 0.131 235.9)
- #E48F4E
#E48F4E
oklch(72.6% 0.131 56.2)
Analogous
Neighbouring hues, 30° either side.
Split complementary
The two hues beside the complement (150° and 210°).
Triadic
Three hues spaced 120° apart.
Palettes with this color
Curated palettes that contain a color within ΔE 0.04 (OKLab) of #42B2ED, closest first.
Similar named colors
The eight closest entries in our named color list, with their ΔE distance.
- Deep Sky Blue #00BFFF ΔE 0.039
- Vivid Sky Blue #4CC9F0 ΔE 0.065
- Turquoise Blue #06B1C4 ΔE 0.067
- Bright Sky Blue #02CCFE ΔE 0.068
- Carolina Blue #8AB8FE ΔE 0.073
- Cornflower Blue #6495ED ΔE 0.079
- Chefchaouen Blue #4895EF ΔE 0.080
- Lightblue #7BC8F6 ΔE 0.081
Use #42B2ED in your product
Turn it into light and dark UI roles checked for contrast, then export to Tailwind v4, shadcn/ui, CSS or design tokens.