Understanding the RGB Color Mode

The RGB color mode is probably the most widely used of all the color modes. RGB generates color using three channels: 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue. Since each channel is capable of generating 256 steps of color; mathematically that translates into 16,777,216 possible colors per image pixel. The RGB color mode (sometimes referred to as Additive RGB) is the color space of computer monitors, televisions, and any electronic display. This also includes PDA's (Personal Digital Assistants), and the newer cellular phones. RGB is considered a device-dependent color mode. Device dependent means that the colors in images created in the RGB color mode will appear different on various devices. In the world of computer monitors and the Web, what you see is very seldom what someone else sees.

Convert an Image to RGB Color

Open an image.

Click the Image menu, point to Mode, and then click RGB Color.

Photoshop converts the image into the RGB color mode.