LAB to XYZ Converter

Summary

Enter CIE L*a*b* values and instantly get the CIE XYZ tristimulus output with a step-by-step conversion breakdown.

How it works

1. Enter L* (0–100), a* (−128 to +127), and b* (−128 to +127) using the number inputs or sliders.
2. The tool computes the intermediate values: fy = (L* + 16) / 116, fx = a* / 500 + fy, fz = fy − b* / 200.
3. Each f value is inverted: if f³ > 0.008856 then t = f³, else t = (f − 16/116) / 7.787.
4. X, Y, Z are obtained by multiplying the inverted values by the D65 reference white: Xn=0.95047, Yn=1.00000, Zn=1.08883.
5. The resulting XYZ values (typically 0–1 range for colors within sRGB) are displayed with four decimal places.
6. A live sRGB color swatch is shown by continuing the XYZ→linear RGB→sRGB pipeline so you can visually confirm the color.

Use cases

• Feed XYZ values into a second color-space conversion (e.g. XYZ to sRGB, XYZ to LCH).
• Verify LAB-to-XYZ math when implementing a color-management pipeline.
• Cross-reference spectrophotometer LAB readings with XYZ tristimulus data.
• Build ICC profile workflows that require intermediate XYZ values.
• Validate that a LAB color lies within the sRGB gamut by inspecting the XYZ range.
• Educational use — understand the CIE f() function and D65 reference white numerically.
• Convert paint or ink LAB specifications to device-independent XYZ for archiving.
• Debug color-science code by comparing JS output against this reference converter.

Frequently Asked Questions