LAB to XYZ Converter
Enter CIE L*a*b* values and instantly get the CIE XYZ tristimulus output with a step-by-step conversion breakdown.
CIE L*a*b* Input
53.39
80.11
67.20
sRGB preview
This LAB color is outside the sRGB gamut. The swatch is clamped; XYZ values are exact.
CIE XYZ Output (D65 reference white)
Conversion Steps
- 1 Intermediate f values: fy=0.7788, fx=0.9393, fz=0.4427
- 2 Apply inverse CIE f() — cube if f³ > 0.008856, else linear: tx=0.8291, ty=0.8291, tz=0.8291 (not shown)
- 3 Multiply by D65 reference white (Xn=0.95047, Yn=1.00000, Zn=1.08883): X=0.3082, Y=0.1693, Z=0.0459
D65 Reference White
Xn
0.95047
Yn
1.00000
Zn
1.08883
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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
- Enter L* (0–100), a* (−128 to +127), and b* (−128 to +127) using the number inputs or sliders.
- The tool computes the intermediate values: fy = (L* + 16) / 116, fx = a* / 500 + fy, fz = fy − b* / 200.
- Each f value is inverted: if f³ > 0.008856 then t = f³, else t = (f − 16/116) / 7.787.
- X, Y, Z are obtained by multiplying the inverted values by the D65 reference white: Xn=0.95047, Yn=1.00000, Zn=1.08883.
- The resulting XYZ values (typically 0–1 range for colors within sRGB) are displayed with four decimal places.
- 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
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Last updated: 2026-05-28 ·
Reviewed by Nham Vu