Commodore 64 color codes

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The Commodore 64 graphics chip (VIC-II) features 16 colors. These 16 colors can be used in all possible screenmodes, for chars, the screen (background or frame) or for sprites (multicolor, HiRes), etc.

The colors of the text can be changed directly with a key combination or with PRINT CHR$(value) alternative control characters. To change colors of sprites or HiRes-graphics in BASIC the command POKE memory address, color code must be used.

Commodore 64 color codes (hex, dec)

COLOR CODE (dec)COLOR CODE (hex)COLOR
0$00black
1$01white
2$02red
3$03cyan
4$04purple
5$05green
6$06blue
7$07yellow
8$08orange
9$09brown
10$0Apink
11$0Bdark grey
12$0Cgrey
13$0Dlight green
14$0Elight blue
15$0Flight grey

Commodore 64 color code to PETSCII code conversion

Color code (dec)Color code (hex)PETSCII code (dec)PETSCII code (hex)Color
0$00144$90black
1$015$05white
2$0228$1Cred
3$03159$9Fcyan
4$04156$9Cpurple
5$0530$1Egreen
6$0631$1Fblue
7$07158$9Eyellow
8$08129$81orange
9$09149$95brown
10$0A150$96pink
11$0B151$97dark grey
12$0C152$98grey
13$0D153$99light green
14$0E154$9Alight blue
15$0F155$9Blight grey

C64 Color codes with CHR($) and RGB values

ColorName of colorDecHexkey
combination
In programs:
PRINT 
CHR$(X)
values of X:
Or PRINT “Control character”
(in quotes!)
RGB ValueWeb Colour
Black00CTRL  + 1 144small square left down0, 0, 0#000000
White11CTRL  + 2 5inverted E255, 255, 255#FFFFFF
Red22CTRL  + 3 28inverted pound136, 0, 0#880000
Cyan33CTRL  + 4 159Triangle left down170, 255, 238#AAFFEE
Violet / purple44CTRL  + 5 156inverted halfchess204, 68, 204#CC44CC
Green55CTRL  + 6 30inverted arrow up0, 204, 85#00CC55
Blue66CTRL  + 7 31inverted arrow left0, 0, 170#0000AA
Yellow77CTRL  + 8 158inverted π238, 238, 119#EEEE77
Orange88C=  + 1 129inverted spade221, 136, 85#DD8855
Brown99C=  + 2 149inverted 1/4-circle right down102, 68, 0#664400
Light red10AC=  + 3 150inverted graphic-X255, 119, 119#FF7777
Dark grey / grey 111BC=  + 4 151inverted annulus51, 51, 51#333333
Grey 212CC=  + 5 152inverted club119, 119, 119#777777
Light green13DC=  + 6 153inverted line right170, 255, 102#AAFF66
Light blue14EC=  + 7 154inverted diamonds0, 136, 255#0088FF
Light grey / grey 315FC=  + 8 155inverted clubs187, 187, 187#BBBBBB

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