If you ever tried to choose colors for your website in the early 2000s, you might have come across the term “HTML-safe colors” (or “web-safe colors”). But what are they and do they matter today?
What are HTML-safe colors?
HTML-safe colors are a set of 216 colors that displayed correctly on 8-bit displays, which could only support 256 colors at a time. They were formed by combinations of RGB values that are multiples of 51 (00, 33, 66, 99, CC, FF). For example, #33CC99 or #FF6600.
This palette was important at a time when many users had displays with limited color ranges.
Is this relevant today?
Fortunately, no! Modern devices support millions of colors (24-bit palette), and using HTML-safe colors no longer makes sense. Today, designers and developers can confidently use any colors without fear of display distortion.
Are there exceptions?
Of course. There are exceptions.
The simplest is in retro design or when developing interfaces for old systems that are still limited to 256 colors.
- Development for old browsers – for example, for corporate systems that still operate in environments with outdated versions of Internet Explorer.
- Medical and industrial equipment – some management systems (such as old medical monitors or control panels for manufacturing processes) still use 8-bit color displays.
And there can be many similar examples, but this is not about the modern web.
HTML-safe colors were important in the 90s and early 2000s, but today they have no practical significance. Use any color scheme that suits your projects, focusing on contrast and accessibility for users.