LED Headlight Color Guide - Choosing the Best Color

• LED Headlight Color Visualization Chart
• What is the brightest LED headlight color?
• What is the best LED color for automotive headlamps?
• Breaking down LED colors and light purposes
• Blue & Purple LED Headlights Analysis
• Best LED color for fog lights

Automotive LED headlight/fog light bulbs and conversion kits can come in a variety of colors. Unlike HIDs, LED colors are typically determined by a colored lens placed over the bulb containing the LED light strip, which has a naturally bright white light emission color.

LEDs (light emitting diodes) generate light through a semiconductor, a material that emits particles of light when charged. HID colors, on the other hand, are determined by the temperature at which the gas inside the bulb is heated. For more information on HID colors, visit our Ultimate Xenon HID Headlight Color Guide.

LED Headlight Color Visualization Chart

Although most LED headlight and fog light conversion kits currently on the market come exclusively in white, we offer four different LED colors options (yellow, white, blue and purple). The best way to decide which color you should choose for your LED bulbs is by taking a look at our LED headlight and fog light color visualization chart.

What is the brightest LED headlight color?

The brightest LED color for your car's headlights and fog lights is white, approximately equivalent to a 5500K bulb color temperature in HIDs. Although the light output is the same for each color, the human eye responds better to a white light similar to natural sunlight.

As mentioned above, LEDs generate light through a material that emits photons of light when charged. The light output (brightness) of LEDs is proportional to the amount of charge that's applied, therefore, the higher the charge the brighter the light emitted from the bulbs.

The charge, measured in watts (W), is provided by the LED drivers also known as the LED electrical circuits, which is the power supply. Our LED headlight and fog light conversion kits come with three LED wattage options 25W, 35W, and 45W.

For maximum brightness and the ultimate nighttime driving experience, we recommend going with our 45W LED kit in white, which produces an exceptionally powerful, dense and wide bright white light.

Watts (W) to Lumens Conversion Table

What is the best LED color for automotive headlamps?

The majority of people looking to upgrade and convert their headlights from halogens to LEDs are looking to improve nighttime visibility on the road, in which case, the best LED color is white. However, the 'best' color is subjective and entirely depends on your needs and ultimate outcome from upgrading your lights. The following summarizes the best LED color for different purposes:

• Maximum brightness: White
• Nicest style: Blue and purple
• Imitating stock lighting: Yellow

Breaking down LED colors and light purposes

White

• White is the natural light color emitted from LEDs and closely resemble natural sunlight. White LEDs are the brightest and are an excellent way to significantly improve visibility on the road at night. The light output and color will be identical to that of luxury vehicles equipped with LEDs such as BMWs and Audis.

Yellow

• LEDs with a yellow lens will produce a color similar to halogen bulbs and fog lights but with significantly more light output. This color is recommended for those looking to to increase the light emission from their headlamps/fog lights while maintaining the same color as their stock halogen bulbs. We recommend yellow LEDs for fog lights.

Blue

• Blue LEDs produce an ocean blue color that can be suitable for both a stylish look and improved nighttime driving. This color is ideal for those looking for a perfect balance between improved brightness and a stylish look.

Purple

• Being a dark color, purple LEDs are unquestionably the least bright and are to be used solely for a stylish, street racer look.

Blue & Purple LED Headlights

Blue and purple LED headlights are becoming increasingly popular despite being the least bright. Below, we take a closer look at the main advantages and disadvantages of blue and purple LED headlights and fog lights.

Pros of blue and purple LED headlights

• Stylish and expensive look
• Unique headlamp colors

Cons of blue and purple LED headlights

• Least bright LED colors
• Not recommended for fog lamps
• May be illegal in certain jurisdictions
• Ineffective during fog, snow and rain

Best LED color for fog lights

If you are looking to upgrade your fog lights to LEDs we recommend going with white or yellow. We strongly recommend against using blue or purple bulbs for your fog lamps for your personal safety in times of poor visibility (fog, haze, rain, snow, etc.).

Glossary of important lighting terms

• Lumens (lm): measure of light output and brightness
• Watts (W): measure of electrical power output
• LED: light emitting diodes
• HID: high-intensity discharge