A study in gray
Dark Gray
#A9A9A9
also known as darkgrey
- Family
- Gray
- L
- 0.735
- C
- 0.000
- H
- -
Notes
Dark Gray in CSS is, confusingly, lighter than CSS Gray. The X11 palette swapped the lightness scale at some point and the spec inherited the result, so a designer expecting a deeper neutral may be surprised. Despite the misnomer, the hex is a useful mid-light gray for secondary UI text, borders, and disabled states. It has enough warmth in its undertone to feel less clinical than pure neutral grays. Deep charcoal handles primary text on an off-white surface. Body text against white falls below AA at body sizes; the secondary roles where reduced legibility is intentional suit it best.
Palette built around Dark Gray
Related colors
Frequently asked questions
What is Dark Gray?
Dark Gray in CSS is, confusingly, lighter than CSS Gray. The X11 palette swapped the lightness scale at some point and the spec inherited the result, so a designer expecting a deeper neutral may be surprised. Its hex code is #A9A9A9.
What are the tints and shades of Dark Gray?
uishades builds an 11-step OKLCH ramp for Dark Gray (#A9A9A9) - its lightest tints through its darkest shades - plus an 11-stop Tailwind scale (50–950), both keyed to the same 50–950 stops. Lightness steps stay evenly spaced and the hue stays stable, so the mid-tones don't go muddy.
What colors pair well with Dark Gray?
Its complementary color is #A9A9A9. Triadic partners are #A9A9A9 and #A9A9A9; analogous neighbours are #A9A9A9 and #A9A9A9.
What are the OKLCH and RGB values of Dark Gray?
Dark Gray is #A9A9A9 - OKLCH 0.735 0.000 0°, rgb(169 169 169), in the gray family. Also known as darkgrey.