I’m having trouble with color matching in my Flutter project. When I copy hex color codes from design software like Sketch or Figma and use them in my app, they don’t look exactly the same on the actual device. The colors seem slightly off compared to what I see in the design files.
I’ve been searching for solutions and wondering if this might be related to color profiles or screen settings. Should I be using Flutter’s material color system instead of direct hex values? Has anyone else experienced this issue with color accuracy between design tools and the final app?
Any help would be appreciated.
I’ve encountered this issue multiple times. The primary reason is that Flutter’s default color rendering modifies your hex colors. When you use Color(0xFF123456), it applies gamma correction, which can alter the appearance compared to your design tools. What’s helped me is creating a custom ColorScheme and conducting extensive testing on actual devices during development. Design tools often assume ideal sRGB displays, but phone screens vary in color range and brightness. Furthermore, users view your app under different lighting than your design setup. While Material colors provide consistency, I’ve successfully utilized custom hex values. I even developed a color testing widget that compares swatches to reference images from the design files, which has been a game changer.
Color discrepancies often arise due to differences in color profiles between design tools and actual devices. While design applications like Sketch and Figma primarily use sRGB color space, mobile devices can have varying display characteristics that affect how colors appear. To ensure better accuracy, I recommend testing your app on real devices rather than relying solely on simulators, as they reflect your computer’s display settings. Additionally, consider environmental lighting during testing, as this can impact how colors are perceived. When deciding between using Material colors and hex codes, I’ve found that Material’s preset color schemes tend to deliver more consistency, especially across different themes. However, for precise brand colors, collaboration with designers to rigorously test hex values on actual devices is essential for achieving the desired look in your app.
This happens because design tools render colors in controlled environments, but Flutter apps run on devices with wildly different displays and calibration. I’ve noticed it’s way worse with saturated colors or subtle gradients. What worked for me was setting up a color validation system - I’d screenshot the actual app on multiple devices and compare them directly to the mockups. Here’s what I learned: some hex values just need tweaking for mobile displays. Sometimes shifting the hue a few degrees or bumping saturation by 5-10% makes a huge difference. Also, test in both bright and dark rooms - you’ll be shocked how much the perceived color changes. This helped me figure out which colors actually needed adjusting versus which ones I should leave alone.
yeah, happens all the time! it’s usually display settings - phones show colors differently than computer monitors. try tweaking the opacity a bit or go darker/lighter when you copy from figma. works way better than switching to material colors entirely.