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RGB vs RGBA vs ARGB: Differences Explained Simply

Updated 2 min readBy the TabShed team

Clear comparison of RGB, RGBA, and ARGB color formats. When to use each and how to convert between them.

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On this page
  1. The Color Channel Basics
  2. RGB
  3. RGBA
  4. ARGB
  5. Quick Conversion

The Color Channel Basics

All three formats use the same underlying data — red, green, blue intensity values (each 0-255) plus optionally an alpha transparency value (0=transparent, 255=opaque). The differences are in format and application context.

RGB

Pure color, no transparency. Used in CSS (rgb(255, 0, 0)), image formats (JPG), and anywhere transparency isn't needed.

RGBA

CSS standard for transparent colors: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5) = 50% transparent red. Alpha is 0-1 in CSS, or 0-255 in some systems. Used everywhere on the web where transparency is needed.

ARGB

Used in Android, Windows GDI, and some game engines. Same channels as RGBA but alpha comes first. Written as #AARRGGBB hex or as a 32-bit integer. Required for Android XML layouts and Paint/Canvas API.

Quick Conversion

  • RGBA(255,0,0,128) → ARGB hex: #80FF0000
  • ARGB hex #FF00FF00 → RGB(0, 255, 0) fully opaque green

Use the Color Picker tool to convert between all formats instantly.

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