XYZ to LAB Converter

Enter CIE XYZ tristimulus values and instantly get the equivalent CIE L*a*b* color with a live swatch and formula breakdown.

CIE XYZ Input

0.4124
0.2126
0.0193
rgb(255, 0, 0)

CIE L*a*b* Output

Conversion Steps

  1. 1 XYZ input: X=0.4124, Y=0.2126, Z=0.0193
  2. 2 Divide by D65 white (Xn=0.95047, Yn=1.00000, Zn=1.08883): xr=0.4339, yr=0.2126, zr=0.0177
  3. 3 Apply CIE f(t): t1/3 if t > 0.008856, else 7.787·t + 16/116: fx=0.7576, fy=0.5966, fz=0.2603
  4. 4 L*=116·fy−16, a*=500·(fx−fy), b*=200·(fy−fz): L*=53.23, a*=80.11, b*=67.22
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Summary

Enter CIE XYZ tristimulus values and instantly get the equivalent CIE L*a*b* color with a live swatch and formula breakdown.

How it works

  1. Enter X, Y, and Z values using the number inputs or sliders (normalized range 0–1, where D65 white is X=0.95047, Y=1.00000, Z=1.08883).
  2. Each XYZ channel is divided by the corresponding D65 reference white value to produce normalized ratios xr, yr, zr.
  3. Each ratio is passed through the CIE f() function: f(t) = t^(1/3) if t > 0.008856, else f(t) = 7.787*t + 16/116.
  4. L* = 116 * f(yr) − 16, a* = 500 * (f(xr) − f(yr)), b* = 200 * (f(yr) − f(zr)).
  5. XYZ is also converted to sRGB via the D65 matrix and gamma encoding to render the live color swatch.
  6. Copy any individual LAB value or the full lab() CSS string with one click.

Use cases

  • Convert spectrophotometer XYZ measurements into perceptually uniform CIELAB values.
  • Compute delta-E (color difference) between two colors by converting both to LAB.
  • Verify that an XYZ color specification maps to expected LAB values in a color management workflow.
  • Translate ICC profile XYZ connection space values to LAB for quality control.
  • Explore the LAB gamut by adjusting XYZ sliders and observing how L*, a*, b* change.
  • Generate CSS lab() values for modern browsers from device-independent XYZ data.
  • Cross-reference paint, ink, or textile XYZ specifications with their LAB equivalents.
  • Build color palettes grounded in perceptually uniform LAB spacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Reviewed by Nham Vu