Skip to main content

bg-slate-500

Tailwind Slate 500

#64748B·Slate family·Shade 500

Color Values

HEX
#64748B
RGB
rgb(100, 116, 139)
HSL
hsl(215, 16%, 47%)
OKLCH
oklch(0.554 0.041 257)
CMYK
cmyk(28%, 17%, 0%, 45%)
CSS Variable
var(--color-slate-500)
Tailwind Class
bg-slate-500

Accessibility Score

60/100

Good

Based on WCAG 2.1 contrast ratios against white and black backgrounds.

On White

4.76:1

AA

On Black

4.41:1

AA Large
Test in Contrast Checker →

Tailwind Usage — All Utilities

Background

bg-slate-500

Text

text-slate-500

Border

border-slate-500

Ring

ring-slate-500

Outline

outline-slate-500

Fill

fill-slate-500

Stroke

stroke-slate-500

From (gradient)

from-slate-500

Via (gradient)

via-slate-500

To (gradient)

to-slate-500

Placeholder

placeholder-slate-500

Caret

caret-slate-500

Accent

accent-slate-500

Decoration

decoration-slate-500

Shadow Color

shadow-slate-500

Tailwind v3 Config (extend custom color)

// tailwind.config.js module.exports = { theme: { extend: { colors: { 'slate-500': '#64748b', }, }, }, };

CSS Equivalent

/* Hex */
background-color: #64748B;

/* RGB */
background-color: rgb(100, 116, 139);

/* HSL */
background-color: hsl(215, 16%, 47%);

/* OKLCH (CSS Color Level 4) */
background-color: oklch(0.554 0.041 257);

/* CSS Custom Property (Tailwind v4) */
background-color: var(--color-slate-500);

/* Gradient example */
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f8fafc 0%, #475569 100%);

OKLCH — Modern Color Space

Lightness (L)

0.554

55% perceived brightness

Chroma (C)

0.041

Color intensity / saturation

Hue (H)

257°

Angle on perceptual hue wheel

oklch(0.554 0.041 257)

OKLCH is a perceptually uniform color space in CSS Color Level 4. Unlike HSL, equal steps in L produce equal perceived lightness changes — making it ideal for building accessible, harmonious design system scales.

Design Recommendations

Primary brand color

Shade 500 of the Slate palette

Recommended Uses

  • ✓CTA buttons
  • ✓Active navigation links
  • ✓Primary brand accents
  • ✓Interactive element fills
  • ✓Highlighted badges

Avoid

✗Text on dark/black backgrounds — check contrast before use.

Preview

On White

Aa Bb Cc

On Black

Aa Bb Cc

As Background

Aa Bb Cc — #64748B

Slate Shades

50

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

950

Similar Tailwind Colors

Perceptually close shades from other Tailwind color families.

Tailwind Gray 500

#6B7280

Tailwind Zinc 500

#71717A

Tailwind Neutral 500

#737373

Tailwind Stone 500

#78716C

Tailwind Gray 600

#4B5563

Tailwind Zinc 600

#52525B

Nearest Named Color

Tailwind Slate 500

Nearest Tailwind equivalent — #64748B

Design & Accessibility Guides

Guide

Building an Accessible Color System

Design Systems · 10 min read

Guide

WCAG Contrast Ratios Explained

WCAG · 8 min read

Guide

WCAG AA vs AAA: Which Standard Should You Target?

WCAG · 7 min read

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the hex code for Tailwind Slate 500?
Tailwind Slate 500 has the hex code #64748B. Its RGB value is rgb(100, 116, 139) and its HSL value is hsl(215, 16%, 47%).
What Tailwind utility classes use Slate 500?
Use bg-slate-500 for backgrounds, text-slate-500 for text color, border-slate-500 for borders, and ring-slate-500 for focus rings. In Tailwind v4 the CSS variable var(--color-slate-500) is available natively.
Is Tailwind Slate 500 WCAG accessible?
Tailwind Slate 500 achieves a 4.76:1 contrast ratio on white (AA) and 4.41:1 on black (AA Large). Its overall accessibility score is 60/100 (Good).
What is the OKLCH value for Tailwind Slate 500?
Tailwind Slate 500 in OKLCH is oklch(0.554 0.041 257) — lightness 0.554, chroma 0.041, hue 257°. OKLCH is a perceptually uniform space supported natively in modern CSS via the `color()` function.
What is Tailwind Slate 500 used for?
At shade 500, Tailwind Slate 500 is best described as "Primary brand color". Recommended uses: CTA buttons, Active navigation links, Primary brand accents.
← All Tailwind Colors