Overview
Color Picker is a system-wide utility that allows you to pick colors from anywhere on your screen and copy them in various formats. It includes color history management and supports multiple color format outputs.Activation
Programmatic Launch
src/modules/colorPicker/ColorPicker.ModuleServices/ColorPickerService.cs:34
Key Features
Color Picking Modes
Screen Picker
Pick any color from your screenMagnified view for pixel-perfect selection
Color History
Access previously picked colorsStored in
colorHistory.jsonFine-Tune Zoom
Zoom in for precise color selectionAdjustable zoom level
Multi-Format Copy
Copy color in multiple formats simultaneouslyConfigurable format list
Supported Color Formats
Color Picker supports numerous color format outputs:- Web Formats
- Design Formats
- Programming Formats
- HEX -
#FF5733 - RGB -
rgb(255, 87, 51) - RGBA -
rgba(255, 87, 51, 1.0) - HSL -
hsl(14, 100%, 60%) - HSLA -
hsla(14, 100%, 60%, 1.0) - HSV -
hsv(14, 80%, 100%)
Color History
Automatic tracking of picked colors:Zoom and Precision
Enhanced color picking accuracy:- Magnified Viewport: Enlarged pixel view under cursor
- Pixel Grid: Clear pixel boundaries for exact selection
- RGB Preview: Real-time color value display
- Mouse Wheel Zoom: Adjust magnification level dynamically
Configuration
Activation Shortcut
Global hotkey to launch Color PickerConfigurable modifier keys:
- Win (Windows key)
- Alt
- Shift
- Ctrl
Color Format Selection
Choose which formats to include when copying colors:- Open PowerToys Settings
- Navigate to Color Picker
- Scroll to “Color formats”
- Check formats to enable
- Reorder formats by dragging
Editor Integration
Optional: Configure which editor opens color history:- Default: Internal viewer
- Custom: Specify external color management tool
Appearance Options
Display color names (e.g., “Red”, “Midnight Blue”) alongside hex values
What happens when activation shortcut is pressed:
openEditor- Open color picker interfaceopenColorPickerAndThenEditor- Pick color, then open editor
Default format for quick copy operations
Use Cases
Web Development
Extract Color Palettes
Build color schemes from existing designsPick multiple colors, check history, export palette
Graphic Design
Color Matching
Color Matching
Match colors across different applications:
- Sample from reference image
- Copy in design tool format (HSB, CMYK)
- Paste into design software
- Ensure exact color reproduction
Brand Consistency
Brand Consistency
Maintain consistent branding:
- Pick brand colors from official assets
- Save to color history
- Reference when creating new designs
- Copy in required format (HEX, RGB, CMYK)
Color Exploration
Color Exploration
Discover interesting color combinations:
- Sample from photos or artwork
- Build color palettes from nature
- Experiment with color relationships
- Document successful combinations
UI Development
Digital Art & Photography
Color Grading
Sample colors from reference images for consistent grading
Palette Generation
Extract color palettes from photographs for design projects
Color Theory
Study color relationships in existing artwork
Style Matching
Match colors when editing photos or creating digital art
Keyboard Shortcuts
Global
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Win+Shift+C | Open Color Picker (default, configurable) |
During Color Picking
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Left Click | Pick color and copy to clipboard |
Esc | Cancel and close picker |
Mouse Wheel Up | Increase zoom level |
Mouse Wheel Down | Decrease zoom level |
Arrow Keys | Fine-tune cursor position (pixel by pixel) |
In Color History
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Click Color | Copy color to clipboard |
Delete | Remove color from history |
Ctrl+C | Copy selected color |
Technical Details
Architecture
Color Conversion Engine
Built-in conversion between color spaces:Module Integration
Color Picker implements PowerToys module interfaces:Event Signaling
Uses Windows events for inter-process communication:Constants.ShowColorPickerSharedEvent()
History File Format
SavedColor objects on retrieval.
Troubleshooting
Color Picker doesn't open
Color Picker doesn't open
Check:
- PowerToys is running
- Color Picker is enabled in settings
- Hotkey is correctly configured
- No conflicting application using same shortcut
Colors not copying to clipboard
Colors not copying to clipboard
Possible causes:
- Clipboard locked by another application
- No color formats enabled in settings
- Clipboard manager interfering
- Close clipboard managers temporarily
- Enable at least one color format
- Check Windows clipboard permissions
Zoom not working
Zoom not working
Verify:
- Mouse wheel is functioning
- Color Picker window has focus
- Graphics drivers are up to date
Color history not saving
Color history not saving
Check file location:Verify:
- Directory exists and is writable
- File is not corrupted (valid JSON)
- Sufficient disk space
See Also
- PowerToys Run - Quick color lookup
- Image Resizer - Process images
- Screen Ruler - Measure screen elements