# Color widget > Keep a colour swatch on a desk. Pick or type a hex value, read its RGB, copy the hex and sample a colour from anywhere on your screen. Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-color Section: Widgets > Draw and diagram Plans: All plans Updated: 2026-10-10 The Color widget holds one colour on your desk. It shows a large swatch, the colour's hex value (such as #2563eb) and its RGB value, with a button to copy the hex. On computers that support it, you can also sample a colour from anywhere on your screen. Use it to keep brand colours, a chart palette or the exact shade you are matching right next to the work that needs it. ## Before you start - The Color widget is on every plan. - You need a desk open. Widgets live on desks. ## Add a Color widget 1. Open the desk you want it on. 2. Click **Add widget** in the middle of the header bar. 3. Click **Color**. In the **Add widget** menu, **Color** is in the **Draw & diagram** column. You can also type *color* in **Search widgets…** and press `Enter` to add it. A new Color widget starts as an amber swatch, #fbbf24. Other ways to add one: - **Press O.** Click an empty part of the desk so no widget is active, then press `O`. You can change this key. See [Add widgets with a single key](https://plexiidesk.com/help/quick-add-keys). - **The command palette.** Press `⌘` `K` on a Mac or `Ctrl` `K` on Windows, type *add color* and press `Enter`. - **Right-click the desk.** Right-click an empty part of the desk and choose **Add object** > **Advanced** > **Color**. The swatch appears where you clicked. - **From another widget.** Right-click another widget's title bar and choose **Create & link** > **Color**. The new swatch is linked to that widget. See [Link widgets and set up wires](https://plexiidesk.com/help/canvas-link-widgets). ## Choose a colour You can pick a colour or type its hex value. 1. To pick, click the small colour box under the swatch. Your computer's colour picker opens. Choose a colour and the swatch, the hex value and the RGB value all update. 2. To type, click the text box beside the colour box, replace the value and type a hex code with its **#**, such as #2563eb. The line under the boxes shows the colour as RGB, for example rgb(37, 99, 235). While the text box does not hold a complete six-digit hex code, that line reads **invalid hex**. Your colour is saved as you go. There is nothing to confirm. ## Copy the hex value - Click **copy hex**. The hex value goes to your clipboard and the button reads **copied** for a moment. - Or right-click the widget's title bar. Near the top of the menu, **Copy** followed by the hex value, such as **Copy #2563eb**, copies it too. Paste it wherever you need it: a design, a document, a stylesheet or a message. ## Sample a colour from your screen 1. Click **pick screen**. 2. Move the pointer over the colour you want, anywhere on your screen, and click. 3. The swatch, hex and RGB change to the colour you sampled. To stop without sampling, press `Esc`. The colour stays as it was. > **Note:** > The **pick screen** button appears only on computers where PlexiDesk can sample the screen. If you do not see it, use the colour picker or type the hex value instead. ## Build a palette One swatch is useful. Several together make a palette. 1. Add a Section to the desk, so the swatches stay together. See [Section widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help). 2. Add one Color widget for each colour, and drag each one into the section. 3. Give each swatch a name that says what it is for, such as *Primary*, *Accent* or *Background*. Double-click the widget's name in its title bar, type the new name and press `Enter`. > **Tip:** > To colour the frame of any widget, not the swatch inside it, right-click its title bar and choose **Organise** > **Recolor**. ## Share a swatch When you publish a live view of a desk, each Color widget shows as its colour, so the people you share it with see your palette. See [Publish a live view of a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/share-live-web-view). ## The AI button Every widget's title bar has an AI button, the sparkle icon at the start of the buttons on the right. A Color widget has no AI settings of its own, so its AI button opens the Plexii panel, where you can ask Plexii anything. See [Use a widget's AI button](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-ai) and [Meet Plexii, your assistant](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-assistant). ## Common questions **The line under the boxes says invalid hex.** The text box needs a full six-digit hex code. Type all six characters after the #, for example #ffffff rather than #fff. **I do not see pick screen.** Your computer does not offer screen sampling to PlexiDesk. Use the colour box to open the colour picker, or type the hex value. **I pressed O and nothing happened.** A widget was active, or the cursor was in a text box, so the key went there instead. Click an empty part of the desk and press `O` again. **Can I rename the swatch?** Yes. Double-click its name in the title bar, or click the pencil button on the title bar. See [The controls on every widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-title-bar). ## Related tasks - [Draw & diagram widgets](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widgets-draw-and-diagram) - [Shape widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-shape) - [Section widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help) - [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget) - [Artwork widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help) More about this widget