Are you involved in design, web development, or UI/UX design? Extracting accurate color codes from your screen is essential. Mouse Tracer’s color picker feature allows you to check and copy RGB, HEX, HSV, HSL, and CMYK color codes from any pixel on your screen in real-time.
What is the Color Picker Feature?
Mouse Tracer offers a powerful Color Picker feature alongside its screen coordinate checking function. It analyzes the color information at the mouse cursor’s position in real-time and displays it in various color formats.
Key Features
- Real-time Color Picking: Automatically updates color values as the mouse moves
- Multiple Color Format Support: Offers 5 formats including RGB, HEX, HSV, HSL, and CMYK
- Color Name Display: Automatically shows web standard color names
- One-Click Copy: Provides a clipboard copy button for each color format
- Color Preview: Visually confirm the extracted color
- Color History: Automatically saves and manages the 10 most recently extracted colors
How to Use the Color Picker Feature
Step 1: Launch the Software
When you launch the Mouse Tracer software, the main window will appear. You can find the color information section in the central area of the main window.
Step 2: Real-time Color Check
Simply move your mouse to the desired location on the screen. The software will automatically extract the pixel color under the mouse cursor and display it in the main window.
Displayed Color Information:
- RGB Values: Red, Green, Blue values, each in the range of 0-255
- HEX Code: A hexadecimal code in #RRGGBB format, most commonly used in web development
- HSV Values: Hue, Saturation, Value – useful for color adjustment
- HSL Values: Hue, Saturation, Lightness – utilized in CSS
- CMYK Values: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black) values used in printing
- Color Name: Web standard color names (e.g., “SkyBlue”, “Tomato”, “LightGray”, etc.)
- Color Preview: A rectangular box to visually confirm the actual color
Step 3: Copying Color Codes
Once you find the desired color, click the copy button next to its format.
How to Copy:
- Copy RGB Values: Click the 📋 button to the right of the “Color Information” line
- Copy HEX Code: Click the 📋 button to the right of the “HEX” line
- Copy HSV Values: Click the 📋 button to the right of the “HSV” line
- Copy HSL Values: Click the 📋 button to the right of the “HSL” line
- Copy CMYK Values: Click the 📋 button to the right of the “CMYK” line
Clicking the copy button will copy the color code to your clipboard, and a “Copy Complete” message will be displayed. You can now press Ctrl+V to paste it wherever you need.
Utilizing the Color History Feature
The Color History feature significantly enhances work efficiency. It is highly useful when comparing multiple colors or needing to reuse previously extracted colors.
Opening the Color History Window
Click the “View Color History” button located to the right of the “Color Preview” section in the main window.
Color History Window Layout
When the Color History window opens, the 10 most recently extracted colors are displayed as tiles.
Information for Each Color Tile:
- Color Preview: The actual color is displayed at the top
- HEX Code: Displayed in #RRGGBB format in the center
- RGB Values: R, G, B values are displayed at the bottom
Using Color Tiles
- Mouse Over: Hovering over a color tile displays detailed information as a tooltip
- Color Name
- HEX Code
- RGB Values
- HSV Values
- HSL Values
- Click to Copy: Clicking a desired color tile automatically copies its HEX code to the clipboard
Managing Color History
- The software automatically saves the 10 most recently extracted colors.
- Duplicate colors (if RGB values are identical) are automatically removed, keeping only the most recent entry.
- The most recently extracted color is displayed at the front.
- From the 11th color onwards, the oldest colors are automatically deleted.
Usage Guide by Color Format
RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
Format: R: 0-255, G: 0-255, B: 0-255
Applications:
- Graphic software (Photoshop, Illustrator)
- Color specification in programming languages
- Digital image editing
Example: R: 135, G: 206, B: 235
HEX (Hexadecimal)
Format: #RRGGBB
Applications:
- Web development (HTML, CSS)
- Web design
- Most commonly used color code
Example: #87CEEB
HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value)
Format: H: 0-360°, S: 0-100%, V: 0-100%
Applications:
- Color adjustment and correction
- Computer vision
- Image processing algorithms
Example: H: 197°, S: 43%, V: 92%
HSL (Hue, Saturation, Lightness)
Format: H: 0-360°, S: 0-100%, L: 0-100%
Applications:
- CSS3 color specification
- Adjusting color brightness
- Responsive web design
Example: hsl(197, 71%, 73%)
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key)
Format: C: 0-100%, M: 0-100%, Y: 0-100%, K: 0-100%
Applications:
- Print design
- Publishing work
- Offset printing
Example: C: 43%, M: 12%, Y: 0%, K: 8%
Practical Application Scenarios
Usage for Web Designers
- Open a reference site and position your mouse over a desired color.
- Click the HEX code copy button to get the color code.
- Paste it directly into your CSS file.
- If you’ve extracted multiple colors, compare them all at once in the color history.
Usage for UI/UX Designers
- Extract colors from competitor apps or reference designs.
- Copy RGB or HEX values and apply them to Figma or Sketch.
- Use color history to build color palettes.
- Refer to HSL values to create color variations.
Usage for Graphic Designers
- Extract desired colors from images or designs displayed on the screen.
- Copy RGB values and input them into Photoshop or Illustrator.
- When working on print materials, check and utilize CMYK values.
- Extract multiple colors to plan harmonious color schemes.
Usage for Developers
- Extract accurate color codes from design mockups.
- Use HEX or RGB values directly in your code.
- Use color history to build theme color sets.
- Define them as CSS variables or constants for reuse.
Tips for Improving Color Extraction Accuracy
Check Monitor Zoom Level
Check the “Monitor Zoom Level” and “DPI” information in the main window. The software automatically detects monitor settings to extract colors from the exact pixel location.
Precautions for Color Extraction
- For elements with transparency, the final color blended with the background color will be extracted.
- For animated elements, the color of the current frame will be extracted.
- Colors can also be accurately extracted from content being screen-recorded or streamed.
Efficient Workflow
- Remember the location of the copy button for frequently used color formats.
- When comparing multiple colors, keep the Color History window open while you work.
- Use the color preview to visually confirm the extracted color.
FAQ
Q: Does the color history persist even after closing the software?
A: In the current version, it is maintained only during the session. The history is reset when the software is closed.
Q: Can colors be accurately extracted even when using multiple monitors?
A: Yes, the software automatically detects the DPI and zoom level of each monitor to extract accurate colors.
Q: Can the color history be exported or saved?
A: The current version only provides clipboard copy functionality. Please copy necessary colors individually.
Q: Can colors from other software be extracted?
A: Yes, you can extract colors from any pixel displayed on the screen. It works with all software, including web browsers, image viewers, and video players.
Conclusion
Mouse Tracer’s color picker feature is an essential tool for designers, developers, and creators. By utilizing features such as real-time color picking, multiple format support, and color history management, you can significantly enhance your work efficiency.
Experience Mouse Tracer now, which offers both screen coordinate checking and color picking simultaneously.
Mouse Tracer – Introduction and Download
Developed by: KinfolkSoft
Software: Mouse Tracer v1.2.7
Last Updated: December 2025