How to pick colors from an old logo scan

You have an old logo scan and want to reuse one of its colors, but the image looks faded, uneven, or slightly speckled. A single click near an edge can return a different value from a click in the middle of the same shape.

Use the Color Picker to read the color currently visible on your screen. The steps below help you choose representative samples and avoid treating scan noise as part of the original design.

Pick a color from the scan

1. Open the Color Picker on a computer. Its screen-picking feature works in Chrome and Edge. Other browsers may offer a reduced version or no screen picking.
2. Open the logo scan in an image viewer or browser tab. Use the original, largest image you have, rather than a small thumbnail or a picture copied from a webpage.
3. Make the logo large enough to see its solid areas clearly. If possible, view it at 100% zoom so you can avoid edges and individual speckles.
4. Start the Color Picker's screen-picking action and select a point near the middle of a broad, flat area of the logo. Read the HEX, RGB, or HSL value it gives you.
5. Repeat the pick in several nearby interior spots. If the numbers differ, note the values and choose a representative one, rather than relying on a single click.

Sample the actual color area, not its outline. A border can contain blended pixels where the logo meets the background. If you need to compare a lot of colors, keep a short note of each value and which part of the logo it came from.

What the samples mean

Several interior samples match

This is the most useful result. The scan has a fairly consistent region, so its repeated value is a reasonable color to reuse. Copy the HEX value for many web and design tools, or use RGB if the program asks for red, green, and blue numbers.

Values shift slightly across a flat area

The apparent solid color may have small variations from the scanner, paper texture, image compression, or later edits. Sample more points away from the edges. If most are close, select a common-looking value as a practical match. The scan does not necessarily preserve the exact color from the original artwork.

Values change sharply near the outline

This is normal for scanned or resized artwork. Edge pixels often mix the logo color with the background, making them lighter, darker, or less saturated. Do not use those pixels as the main brand color. For more on this issue, see why color picker values vary around text edges.

Different parts of the logo have distinct colors

They may be separate design colors, or the scan may have uneven lighting, paper discoloration, or a gradient. Sample each intended region separately. If one area changes gradually, the original may have used a gradient, but an old scan alone cannot prove that.

The scan looks uniform, but the code seems unexpected

A displayed color can look different from the original because a scan captures the scanner, paper, and image processing along with the artwork. A JPEG may also add small color changes around sharp edges. If you need a verified brand color for official materials, look for the original design file or a brand specification. A scan can provide a close visual match, not certify the original value. See what to check when copying colors from compressed JPEGs.

If the picker will not sample the scan

1. Use Chrome or Edge on a computer. The Color Picker's ability to pick from anywhere on the screen depends on browser support. If the option is missing or does not start, try one of those browsers on a desktop or laptop.
2. Keep the scan visible. Make sure the image is open and not covered by another window. If the picker closes when you switch windows, reopen it and follow the browser's on-screen picker instructions.
3. Open the original image. A thumbnail or preview may be resized, compressed, or color-adjusted. Open the largest available scan so you can sample a clean area.
4. Zoom in on the logo. If the color area is only a few pixels wide, zoom the image until its interior is easy to target. Avoid sampling the outline or the space just outside it.
5. Try a different browser window or viewer. Some image viewers add overlays or display a preview rather than the original. Open the scan in another viewer, then pick the same interior area again and compare the result.

Choose a value you can reuse

For a logo with a clearly flat color, use the value that appears most consistently in the interior. If the scan varies slightly, choose a representative sample from the largest clean region, not the darkest or brightest spot. Keep the selected value with a note such as “blue shape, center area” so you can identify it later.

HEX and RGB describe the same basic red, green, and blue color in different formats. HEX is often convenient for websites, while some editing programs ask for RGB. HSL describes hue, saturation, and lightness, which can make it easier to compare how vivid or pale two samples appear.

If the logo is important for printing or a formal brand refresh, use the sampled color as a starting point and check it against an original vector file or brand guide before production.