Electric purple
A vivid purple shown at its brightest on digital screens
Electric purple is a bright, pure purple that sits exactly between violet and magenta on the colour wheel. It appears much more luminous on screens than in pigments, and is considered the most intense purple that can be displayed digitally.
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- Sits exactly between violet and magenta on the colour wheel
- Displays brightest on screens, not in pigments
- Also called 'true purple' in early colour naming
- RGB code is (191, 0, 255)
What colour is Electric purple?
Electric purple is a striking, luminous purple that falls right between violet and magenta on the colour wheel. It stands out for its brightness and intensity, especially when viewed on electronic displays. Unlike purples mixed from pigments, which tend to be less vivid, electric purple shows the full strength of purple as seen in digital art and design.
Where does Electric purple come from?
The name 'electric purple' refers to its vivid, glowing appearance on screens. It is also known as 'true purple', a term found in early twentieth-century colour naming. This shade is defined by its position halfway between violet and magenta, making it the standard for pure purple in digital contexts.
How Electric purple is defined
On computer screens, electric purple is created using the RGB colour system, with values of 191 for red, 0 for green, and 255 for blue. This method produces a much brighter and purer purple than can be achieved with traditional pigments, which mix colours by absorbing light rather than emitting it.
Where Electric purple is used
Electric purple is mainly used in digital media, where its brightness and clarity can be fully displayed. It is popular in computer graphics, web design, and digital art, where artists want a vivid purple that cannot be matched by paint or ink.
Purple around the world
What the purple and violet family means from country to country.
In Holy Week, members of religious brotherhoods walk in procession in robes and pointed hoods, many of them purple, the colour of penance. A purple band also marked the flag of the Second Republic.
Sacred and holyPolitics and protestSource: Holy Week in SpainSuffragettes campaigning for women's votes wore purple, white and green: purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope.
Politics and protestCourageSource: SuffragetteA child born to a reigning Byzantine emperor was called porphyrogennetos, born in the purple. The birth took place in a palace room lined with purple stone.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Born in the purpleIn the elections of 2005, voters dipped a finger in purple ink to prevent double voting. The stained finger, held up for cameras, became a sign of the vote.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Election inkPurple dye from the murasaki plant was costly and hard to make. In the court rank system set up under Prince Shotoku, the highest officials wore purple caps.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Twelve Level Cap and Rank SystemThe Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon made Tyrian purple from sea snails. The dye was so costly that it became the colour of kings and Roman emperors.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Tyrian purpleShades and relatives of Electric purple
Electric purple is sometimes confused with other bright purples, but it is defined by its exact position between violet and magenta on the colour wheel. Other purples, such as red-violet, appear less bright or have more red or blue in their mix.
Colours that go with Electric purple
Harmonies are worked out from the value #BF00FF. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Electric purple
What colour is electric purple?
Electric purple is a bright, vivid purple that lies halfway between violet and magenta on the colour wheel. It is especially luminous when shown on digital screens.
Where does the name electric purple come from?
The name comes from its glowing, intense appearance on electronic displays, where it appears much brighter than purples made with traditional pigments.
How is electric purple made?
On screens, it is created using the RGB system with values of 191 red, 0 green, and 255 blue, giving it a pure and bright look.
Is electric purple used outside digital media?
It is mainly seen in digital art and design, as its brightness cannot be matched by pigment-based colours.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Shades of purple" (the section "Electric purple: 2000s"), 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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