Indigo Color Palette
Indigo is hex #4B0082, rgb(75, 0, 130). Indigo is the deep blue-violet between blue and violet in the rainbow, named after the plant dye used for denim. It is serious and intellectual.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Indigo color codes
Reading the indigo color codes
The hex code #4B0082 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 4B is 75, 00 is 0 and 82 is 130, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(75, 0, 130) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives indigo its violet character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 275 degrees places indigo in the violet part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 25% makes it a dark 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 42% cyan, 100% magenta, 0% yellow and 49% 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 indigo for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Indigo shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #4B0082, so you can use indigo for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"indigo": {
50: "#E5DAED",
100: "#D1BEDF",
200: "#BEA3D2",
300: "#AB88C5",
400: "#986DB7",
500: "#8552AA",
600: "#71369D",
700: "#5E1B8F",
800: "#4B0082",
900: "#3A0064",
950: "#280045",
},
},
},
}:root {
--indigo-50: #E5DAED;
--indigo-100: #D1BEDF;
--indigo-200: #BEA3D2;
--indigo-300: #AB88C5;
--indigo-400: #986DB7;
--indigo-500: #8552AA;
--indigo-600: #71369D;
--indigo-700: #5E1B8F;
--indigo-800: #4B0082;
--indigo-900: #3A0064;
--indigo-950: #280045;
}A shade-by-shade guide to indigo
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 (#E5DAED) and 100 (#D1BEDF), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the indigo mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#BEA3D2) and 300 (#AB88C5) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where indigo 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 500 upward, so use step 500 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 400.
The darkest steps, 800 (#4B0082) through 950 (#280045), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to indigo. 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 indigo
How the indigo color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from indigo is #378200, which sits closest to forest green 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. #0A0082 and #820078 sit 30 degrees either side of indigo. 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 (#824B00 and #00824B) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to chocolate brown. The split complementary set (#788200 and #00820A) 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 #9F1CFF to #180029. 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.
Indigo compared with similar colors
midnight blue (#191970) is about as light and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward indigo. Choose midnight blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose indigo if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
navy blue (#000080) is about as light and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward indigo. Choose navy blue if you need more weight and contrast; choose indigo if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
eggplant (#614051) is lighter (32% vs 25% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward magenta. Choose eggplant if you want a softer, airier version; choose indigo if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Indigo in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here indigo carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
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Using indigo in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Indigo carries white labels at 12.95:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Indigo works as text on white backgrounds.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid dark 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 indigo. 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). Indigo scores 12.95:1 against white (AAA) and 1.62:1 against black (Fail). 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 indigo alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What indigo means
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious.
Indigo is named after the indigo plant, whose dye has been used for thousands of years and is the traditional dye of denim. Isaac Newton included indigo as one of the seven colors of the visible spectrum.
Purple is heavily used by AI and creative tools, so it can look generic. Desaturate it or pair it with warm neutrals to make it feel chosen rather than default.
Where indigo works best
- Tech and developer tools
- Denim and workwear
- Education
- Night and sleep themes
How to style indigo
Indigo pairs with gold, amber, white and soft grey. It supports white text and makes a strong primary for developer tools and education. Because indigo is common in tech, pair it with a warm, unexpected accent to stand out.
Build a UI with indigo
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #4B0082 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Indigo · History and definition of indigo.
- 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 indigo?
The hex code for indigo used on this page is #4B0082. In RGB that is rgb(75, 0, 130), and in HSL it is hsl(275, 100%, 25%).
What colors go well with indigo?
Indigo pairs well with #2A0A4A, #EFEAF6, #F2B134 (the Dyehouse palette above). Its complementary color is #378200, and analogous colors are #0A0082 and #820078.
Is indigo a warm or cool color?
Indigo is a cool color. Its hue sits at 275 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use indigo for text?
Indigo has a contrast ratio of 12.95:1 against white and 1.62:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does indigo mean?
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious. Indigo in particular is used for tech and developer tools and denim and workwear.
How do I use indigo in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#4B0082] 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-indigo-500 and text-indigo-900.
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