The Red Hat logo

Our logo was introduced in 2019 as part of the Open Brand Project, an initiative to update and simplify our corporate logo and brand system in collaboration with the Red Hat® community.

Red Hat logo on a dark background.
Red Hat logo on a light background.
Single color Red Hat logo on a red background.

Our logo is made up of two parts: the hat and the wordmark. The hat is the same fedora worn by Shadowman–the figure featured in our previous logo–and is an embodiment of the trust and goodwill we’ve built with customers, partners, and the community as we’ve grown. Our company name appears in bold in the wordmark, created from our open source font.

Logo variations and clear space

Our logo has three versions that give us the flexibility to choose the one that best fits the available space. The logo can be vertical or horizontal, and the wordmark can be large or small. Logos A and B should be the logos you use most often. Logo C and the hat alone should be reserved for specific circumstances.

Clear space is the area around the logo that should not have text, distracting graphics, or other logos. This space ensures that nothing interferes with the visual impact of our logo.

Logo A

Logo A

Logo A is the preferred logo for most applications. It fits best in spaces that are wider than they are tall.

The clear space should be at least the height of the letter "e" all the way around the logo.

Logo B

Logo B

Logo B fits best in spaces that are more square. The hat and wordmark are the same size as they are in logo A, but they’re stacked instead of side by side.

The clear space should be at least the height of the letter "e" all the way around the logo.

Logo C

Logo C

Logo C should only be used for large-scale signage. The combination of small text and a stacked layout is ideal for making the most of larger square spaces, like signage.

The clear space should be at least twice the height of the letter "e" all the way around the logo.

The hat

The hat

The hat can be used independently in some situations, but only when the context of the Red Hat brand is clear.

Clear space diagram for the hat, showing that clear space should be about the size of the hat brim.
Horizontal email header image using the Logo version A.
Do this

Use the version of the logo that fits best in the available space.

Email header image with the Logo version C, which does not fit well.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not use a version of the logo that is too wide or tall for the available space.

Red Hat logo between and image and text with appropriate clear space.
Do this

Use appropriate margins around the logo.

Image showing misuse: Red Hat logo used too large between an image and text.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not use small margins that make the logo feel cramped.

Background variations

When the logo has color behind it, the first priority is visibility. Switch the color of the wordmark accordingly. Black type is best for light backgrounds, while white type is best for dark backgrounds. You can learn more about color contrast in Visual Accessibility at Red Hat.

Red Hat logo on a dark background.
Red Hat logo on a light background.
Red Hat logo on a light background.
Red Hat logo on a dark background.

Sometimes printing costs or visual constraints mean that we need to use the logo in one color. When you can, choose the red version so that the hat is red. Use the white version on a red background.

Red and black Red Hat logos on a light background.
Red and white Red Hat logos on a dark background.
White Red Hat logo on a red background

If you’re placing the logo on an image or video, place the logo somewhere without visual clutter and use the version of the logo with the best color contrast.

Image of a woman using her computer with the Red Hat logo added in the upper left where it is on a clear background.
Do this

Place the logo in an area with a clean and simple background.

Photograph of a man in an office using a computer with the Red Hat logo overlayed on a busy part of the image. The logo is difficult to see.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not place the logo on a background that is complex or cluttered.

Image of a building with the Red Hat logo placed in the bottom right corner where it is clear and has good contrast against the white background.
Do this

Ensure that the logo is easy to read and has sufficient contrast against background colors.

Image showing misuse: Red Hat logo on an image with low contrast.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not place the logo on a background that doesn’t have enough contrast. Use the version of the logo with the most contrast.

Red Hat logo in use

We’re protective of our logo. Why? Because as an open source company, our trademarks are the most important intellectual property we own. By using our logo consistently and correctly, we make sure it’s protected and will serve us well for years to come.

Image of the Red Hat logo without the hat band
Red X saying do not do this

Do not change the color of the band or remove it.

Image of the Red Hat logo with a gradient and drop shadow.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not add shadows or gradients to the logo.

Image of the Red Hat logo with the colors changed to shades of blue
Red X saying do not do this

Do not change the colors of the logo.

Image of the Red Hat logo with the width reduced so that the logo is squished.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not stretch or distort the logo.

Image of the Red Hat logo with the hat moved to the right side and enlarged.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not scale or move parts of the logo independently of each other.

Image of Shadowman, who was part of the previous Red Hat logo, and Tux the penguin.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not use legacy logos or Tux the penguin, the Linux mascot, with or without the Red Hat logo.

Image of the Red Hat hat placed on top of the IBM logo.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not use the logo or the hat icon as part of another logo or for parody purposes.

Image of the Red Hat wordmark used alone.
Red X saying do not do this

Do not use the wordmark alone. Instead, type "Red Hat" in our font.

Screenshot of a browser window showing the hat used as the favicon for the Red Hat website.

For small spaces where the logo can’t fit, like a favicon, you can use the hat. Read more about using the hat alone.

Photograph of a coffee tumbler with Red Hat logo B version printed on the front.

The stacked logo with large type (Logo B) makes the best use of the available space on this travel mug.

Photograph of the north side of Red Hat Tower in downtown Raleigh, NC, featuring the Red Hat logo version A

The space on top of Red Hat Tower is wide and narrow, so we chose a horizontal logo. We also needed our name to be visible from far away, so we chose the version with large type (Logo A).

Screenshot of the Red Hat video outro, featuring the Red Hat logo and Creative Commons icons.

In video, we use an animated version of the Red Hat logo for outros. Read more in the Red Hat video standards.

Red Hat trademarks

Aside from the Red Hat logo, our trademarks include the Red Hat wordmark and the names of certain products, services, and technologies. Using our trademarks correctly in documentation, web pages, marketing materials, and collateral is as important as using the logo correctly.