Onyx

Color codes

Tints & shades

Palettes & harmonies

Color contrast

Here's how text looks on onyx versus the color as text — a quick legibility check before you use it behind captions.

At this lightness, onyx pairs best with white or very light text for readable captions.

What Onyx means

Onyx is associated with strength, elegance, and mystery. In design and branding, it's chosen to evoke exactly these qualities — which is why the color behind an app's screenshots and store presence does so much quiet work before anyone reads a word.

As a muted, dark, cool color (HSL 195°, 4%, 22%), onyx reads as calm and composed. That temperature matters in design: cool tones recede and feel trustworthy and serene, which is worth keeping in mind when you decide what role this color plays in your layout.

Color psychology of Onyx

Colors shape how people feel before they consciously register why. Onyx, with its associations of strength, elegance, and mystery, sends a specific signal — and using it deliberately means matching that signal to your product. A meditation app and a finance app both benefit from intentional color, but rarely the same one. The question isn't whether onyx is "good," but whether the feeling it carries matches the story you want your app to tell.

Using Onyx in app screenshots & UI

If you're designing App Store or Google Play screenshots, onyx works as a background or accent when it fits your brand's personality. A few practical notes:

• As a background: use it full-bleed behind a device frame, and put your caption in white for contrast.
• As an accent: reserve it for highlights — a key word in your caption, an arrow, a badge — against a neutral background.
• Pairing: use its complementary color #3A3736 sparingly for contrast, or the analogous tones #36373A / #363A39 for a calmer, cohesive look.
• Consistency: use the same shade across all your screenshots so the set reads as one intentional design, not a patchwork.
• Thumbnail test: shrink your screenshot to search-result size and check the color still reads and the text stays legible.

FAQ

What does the color Onyx symbolize?

Onyx is associated with strength, elegance, and mystery.

What is the hex code for Onyx?

#353839 — RGB 53, 56, 57, HSL 195°, 4%, 22%, CMYK 7%, 2%, 0%, 78%.

What colors go well with Onyx?

Its complementary color is #3A3736. For softer pairings, try the analogous colors #36373A and #363A39, or build a monochromatic set from its tints and shades above.

Is Onyx a warm or cool color?

Onyx is a cool color. Cool colors feel calm and recede into the background.

What text color is readable on Onyx?

Use white or light text on a onyx background for the best contrast and legibility.

Is Onyx good for app screenshots?

It can be, if it matches your brand. Use it consistently, keep captions high-contrast, and test how it looks at small thumbnail sizes in search results.

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