Canary yellow
A bright yellow named after the canary bird and used as a printing primary
Canary yellow is a vivid yellow shade named after the colour of the canary bird. It is also known as process yellow in printing, where it serves as one of the three subtractive primary colours alongside magenta and cyan. The name was first recorded in English in 1789.
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- Named after the canary bird
- First recorded in English in 1789
- Known as process yellow in printing
- Used as a primary colour in the CMYK model
What colour is Canary yellow?
Canary yellow is a strong, bright yellow, named for the typical colour of the canary bird. The shade is clear and striking, standing out among other yellows for its intensity. In printing, it is known as process yellow and is used as one of the three main colours for mixing a wide range of hues. The exact appearance can vary slightly depending on how it is produced.
Where does Canary yellow come from?
The name canary yellow comes from the canary bird, which is often a vivid yellow, though the birds themselves can range in colour from dark yellow to light pink. The first known use of the term in English dates back to 1789. In printing, the same shade is called process yellow, pigment yellow, or printer's yellow.
How Canary yellow is defined
In the CMYK colour model, canary yellow is known as process yellow and is used as a primary colour for printing. There is no single fixed formula for process yellow, and the exact shade can change depending on the ink formulation used by different printers. It is not defined by RGB values, as it is a subtractive rather than additive primary.
Where Canary yellow is used
Canary yellow is mainly used in printing, where it forms one of the three subtractive primaries in the CMYK system, alongside magenta and cyan. It is essential for producing a wide range of printed colours. The shade is chosen for its clarity and ability to mix well with other printing inks.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
The yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagAt the gaye holud, held a day or two before a wedding, relatives rub turmeric paste on the bride and groom. Guests dress in yellow and orange.
Weddings and marriageFestival and celebrationJoySource: Gaye holudOn Pohela Falgun, the first day of spring, young women wear yellow and orange saris, a shade called basanti, with flowers in their hair.
Festival and celebrationNature and renewalJoySource: Pohela FalgunThe Flemish flag is a black lion on yellow, and the Walloon flag a red cockerel on yellow. The language communities are often shown by these colours.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Flag of FlandersThe flag is yellow, the colour of the Sultan. By custom, ordinary people did not wear yellow in the ruler's presence.
Royalty and powerPrideSource: Flag of BruneiThe national football team plays in a yellow shirt with green trim, the canarinho. It was chosen in a newspaper contest after the 1950 World Cup final was lost in white.
Festival and celebrationPrideJoySource: Brazil national football teamShades and relatives of Canary yellow
Canary yellow is sometimes confused with other bright yellows, but it is specifically linked to the colour of the canary bird and to process yellow in printing. The shade can vary slightly depending on the ink or method used, and canaries themselves can be other colours, including light pink.
Colours that go with Canary yellow
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFEF00. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Canary yellow
What colour is canary yellow?
Canary yellow is a bright, vivid yellow shade, named after the typical colour of the canary bird.
Where does the name canary yellow come from?
The name comes from the canary bird, which is often a striking yellow, though canaries can also be other colours.
What is canary yellow used for?
It is mainly used in printing as process yellow, one of the three subtractive primary colours in the CMYK system.
Is canary yellow always the same shade?
No, the exact shade can vary depending on the ink formulation and printing process, but it is always a strong, clear yellow.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of yellow" (the section "Yellow (CMYK) (process yellow) (canary yellow)"), written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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