Quick answer
To use the Canva color picker, select an element and click its color swatch in the toolbar or the color panel. The color picker opens with a gradient field, hue slider, hex input, and an eyedropper tool to sample any color from your design or screen.
Steps at a glance
- Select a shape, text, or background element in your Canva design.
- Click the color swatch in the toolbar.
- Use the gradient field and hue slider to choose a color visually.
- Or type a hex code directly in the # field for an exact match.
- Click the eyedropper icon to sample a color from anywhere on screen.
Interactive demo
This interactive demo was created free with Arclet in 3 minutes.
Create your own demo →Summary
The Canva color picker gives you three ways to pick a color: use the gradient field and hue slider to explore the full spectrum visually, type a hex code for an exact match, or use the eyedropper to sample a color from your canvas or screen. Your brand colors and recently used colors appear below the picker for quick access.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Select the element to recolor
Click on a shape, text, icon, or background element in your design. The element toolbar appears at the top of the screen.
Step 2
Open the color picker
Click the color swatch in the element toolbar. For text, the swatch shows the current text color. For shapes, it shows the fill color. The color picker panel opens.
Step 3
Pick a color visually or enter a hex code
Drag the crosshair in the gradient field to adjust lightness and saturation. Move the hue slider left or right to change the color. Alternatively, click the # field and type your hex code directly.
Step 4
Use the eyedropper to sample a color
Click the eyedropper icon in the color picker. Your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click any color on the Canva canvas to sample it and apply it to the selected element.
Step 5
Apply the color
Click anywhere outside the color picker to apply the color and close the panel. The element updates immediately as you pick.
Why this matters
You're designing a social post and you need the background to match your brand's exact blue — not close enough, the actual hex code from your style guide. Or you want to pull a color directly from a photo in the design.
Troubleshooting
The eyedropper only picks colors from the canvas, not my screen
The Canva web eyedropper can only sample colors within the canvas area. To sample from outside the browser, use a separate color picker tool or browser extension, then paste the hex code into Canva.
I cannot find my brand colors in the picker
Brand colors appear in the Brand kit section below the color picker if you have a Canva Pro account and have set up your Brand Kit. On the free plan, recently used colors appear at the bottom of the picker.
Frequently asked questions
Can I enter RGB or HSL values in the Canva color picker?
The Canva color picker accepts hex codes directly. RGB and HSL inputs are not available in the standard picker. Convert your RGB or HSL values to hex before entering them.
Does the eyedropper work outside of Canva?
In the Canva web app, the eyedropper is limited to colors within the canvas. The Canva desktop app may support sampling from anywhere on screen depending on your operating system.
How do I add a color to my Brand Kit in Canva?
Go to Brand Kit in your Canva account settings, then add colors under the Brand colors section. These colors will then appear in the color picker for all your designs.
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