Pick a Color From Any Image on Windows — No Photoshop Needed
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Windows has MS Paint, PowerToys, and the built-in color picker in some apps — but none of them make it easy to extract a full color palette from an image file as hex codes. Getting the exact color value from a photo on Windows without Photoshop used to mean installing multiple tools. A browser-based solution works in any Windows browser and requires nothing installed beyond a browser you already have.
Windows built-in options for color picking
MS Paint eyedropper — Paint's eyedropper reads a color from the canvas and sets it as the active drawing color. It shows the RGB value in the color picker but not hex. Digging the hex value out is possible but tedious.
PowerToys Color Picker — Microsoft's PowerToys package includes a screen-wide color picker activated by a keyboard shortcut. It shows hex, RGB, and other formats. But it requires installing PowerToys (a separate download) and reads from screen pixels, not image files.
Snipping Tool / Snip and Sketch — no color picking functionality.
For a clean hex extraction from an image file with zero installs, the browser is the fastest path.
How to extract colors from an image in your Windows browser
Open the Kingfisher Color Extractor in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on Windows. Drag any image from File Explorer directly onto the tool, or click to browse.
The tool shows the 8 dominant colors with HEX and RGB values. Click any swatch to copy the hex code to your clipboard — ready to paste into any application. For an exact pixel color, click anywhere on the image preview and see the precise value at that point.
Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 in any modern browser. No admin rights needed, no installation.
Sell Custom Apparel — We Handle Printing & Free ShippingGetting colors from a Windows app or website
If you need the color from a currently running application (not an image file you have saved), take a screenshot first:
- Press Win + Shift + S to open Snip and Sketch and capture the area you want
- Or press PrtScn to capture the full screen
- Save or paste the screenshot to a file
- Load that file in the color extractor and click the pixel you need
This is slower than PowerToys' screen-wide picker for single-color sampling, but gives you a full palette when you need more than one color.
How to use extracted hex codes in Windows applications
After copying a hex code from the extractor, paste it into:
- PowerPoint — Insert a shape, click Fill Color, choose "More Colors," select "Custom," and enter the hex value
- Word — same approach via Format Shape or Font Color dialogs
- Figma or other design tools in the browser — paste directly into any hex color field
- VS Code or code editor — paste into your CSS, Tailwind config, or any color variable
- Excel — for conditional formatting or chart colors via custom color pickers
Try It Free — No Signup Required
Runs 100% in your browser. No data is collected, stored, or sent anywhere.
Extract Colors FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use this without administrator privileges?
Yes. The tool is a browser-based web page. No installation or system permissions are needed. If you can open a browser tab, you can use the tool.
Does this work in Microsoft Edge?
Yes. The tool works in any Chromium-based browser including Microsoft Edge, which is pre-installed on Windows 10 and 11.
Maya worked as a brand designer for eight years specializing in typography and visual identity for consumer brands. She writes about font tools and design with an expert eye for what separates professional work from amateur output.
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