Apricot Color Palette
Apricot is hex #FBCEB1, rgb(251, 206, 177). Apricot is a light yellowish orange, slightly more saturated and pinker than peach. It feels sunny and wholesome.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Apricot color codes
Reading the apricot color codes
The hex code #FBCEB1 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. FB is 251, CE is 206 and B1 is 177, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(251, 206, 177) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives apricot its orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 24 degrees places apricot in the orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 90% makes it vivid, and lightness of 84% makes it a very light color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 0% cyan, 18% magenta, 29% yellow and 2% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to apricot for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Apricot shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #FBCEB1, so you can use apricot for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"apricot": {
50: "#FEEDE3",
100: "#FCDECA",
200: "#FBCEB1",
300: "#E4BA9F",
400: "#CEA68D",
500: "#B7937B",
600: "#A07F69",
700: "#8A6B57",
800: "#735745",
900: "#5C4333",
950: "#452F21",
},
},
},
}:root {
--apricot-50: #FEEDE3;
--apricot-100: #FCDECA;
--apricot-200: #FBCEB1;
--apricot-300: #E4BA9F;
--apricot-400: #CEA68D;
--apricot-500: #B7937B;
--apricot-600: #A07F69;
--apricot-700: #8A6B57;
--apricot-800: #735745;
--apricot-900: #5C4333;
--apricot-950: #452F21;
}A shade-by-shade guide to apricot
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#FEEDE3) and 100 (#FCDECA), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the apricot mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#FBCEB1) and 300 (#E4BA9F) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where apricot is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 700 upward, so use step 700 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#735745) through 950 (#452F21), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to apricot. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with apricot
How the apricot color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from apricot is #B1DEFB, which sits closest to powder blue among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #FBB1B9 and #FBF3B1 sit 30 degrees either side of apricot. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#B1FBCE and #CEB1FB) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to powder blue. The split complementary set (#B1FBF3 and #B1B9FB) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #FDE7D8 to #F47929. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Apricot compared with similar colors
peach (#FFE5B4) is about as light and more saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward orange. Choose peach if you want a softer, airier version; choose apricot if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
pearl (#EAE0C8) is about as light and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward yellow-orange. Choose pearl if you want a softer, airier version; choose apricot if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
champagne (#F7E7CE) is lighter (89% vs 84% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward orange. Choose champagne if you want a softer, airier version; choose apricot if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Apricot in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here apricot carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using apricot in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on apricot only reach 1.44:1, so use dark text (14.57:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid apricot for body text on white; use step 700 or darker for links and headings that need to read as apricot.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid very light color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with apricot. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Apricot scores 1.44:1 against white (Fail) and 14.57:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use apricot alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What apricot means
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast.
Apricot is named after the fruit and sits between peach and orange. It feels warm, wholesome and sunny, which makes it popular for natural food and skincare brands.
Orange is a strong call-to-action color because it stands out against blue and neutral interfaces. Most mid oranges need dark text, not white, to pass contrast.
Where apricot works best
- Natural food brands
- Skincare
- Spring and summer campaigns
- Hospitality
How to style apricot
Apricot pairs with sage, cream, brown and soft teal. It needs dark text. Use it for warm backgrounds, illustrations and highlights rather than primary buttons.
Build a UI with apricot
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #FBCEB1 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Apricot · History and definition of apricot.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for apricot?
The hex code for apricot used on this page is #FBCEB1. In RGB that is rgb(251, 206, 177), and in HSL it is hsl(24, 90%, 84%).
What colors go well with apricot?
Apricot pairs well with #F4A261, #FFF8F3, #5C3D2E (the Sun-Dried palette above). Its complementary color is #B1DEFB, and analogous colors are #FBB1B9 and #FBF3B1.
Is apricot a warm or cool color?
Apricot is a warm color. Its hue sits at 24 degrees on the color wheel with 90% saturation.
Can I use apricot for text?
Apricot has a contrast ratio of 1.44:1 against white and 14.57:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does apricot mean?
Orange is warm, social and energetic. Earthy oranges (rust, terracotta, burnt orange) feel grounded and handmade; bright oranges feel playful and fast. Apricot in particular is used for natural food brands and skincare.
How do I use apricot in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#FBCEB1] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-apricot-500 and text-apricot-900.
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