Copy an on-screen color with PowerToys Color Picker
Sample a visible color, inspect the copied format, and verify it in the intended project.
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Pick a color from the screen
Enable Color Picker in PowerToys Settings. Its default shortcut is Win+Shift+C, and the shortcut can be changed. In pick-first mode, select a visible color to copy it to the clipboard in the configured default format, which is HEX by default. Microsoft distinguishes this mode from opening the editor first.
Check what was copied
For example, select a background color in a design mock-up, open the editor, inspect the HEX value, and paste it into a test CSS color field. By default, left-click copies and opens the editor, middle-click copies and closes, and right-click closes without copying. These are documented defaults, not a test performed on a local PC.
Know the color limits
Microsoft states that Wide Color Gamut and HDR color formats are not currently supported. If the shortcut does not work while the focused app is running elevated, PowerToys may also need to run elevated. Treat the sample as a convenient screen-color value, not a calibrated reference; verify the result in the project’s actual color space and output conditions.
Sources: Microsoft Learn: Color Picker · Install PowerToys