Resistor Color Code Calculator
Instantly decode 4, 5, or 6-band resistor colors into resistance values in ohms. Calculate tolerance ranges and temperature coefficients for precise circuit design.
Color Band Selector
Choose band count and colors
Most common: 4-band for general use, 5/6-band for precision
Resistance Value
Calculated specifications
Select your resistor band colors above, then click Calculate Resistance to see the value.
Resistor Color Chart
Standard EIA color code values for resistor bands.
| Color | Digit Value | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 Ω |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 Ω |
| Red | 2 | ×100 Ω |
| Orange | 3 | ×1 kΩ |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10 kΩ |
| Green | 5 | ×100 kΩ |
| Blue | 6 | ×1 MΩ |
| Violet | 7 | ×10 MΩ |
| Grey | 8 | ×100 MΩ |
| White | 9 | ×1 GΩ |
| Gold | — | ×0.1 Ω |
| Silver | — | ×0.01 Ω |
Resistor Color Code FAQ
Everything you need to know about reading and calculating resistor values.
A 4-band resistor has: Band 1 (first significant digit), Band 2 (second significant digit), Band 3 (multiplier), and Band 4 (tolerance). For example, Brown-Black-Red-Gold means 10 × 100 = 1000 Ω (1 kΩ) with ±5% tolerance.
A 5-band resistor adds an extra significant digit for higher precision. Bands 1, 2, and 3 are significant digits, Band 4 is the multiplier, and Band 5 is tolerance. This allows for values like 100 Ω to 999 Ω to be precisely specified, commonly used in precision circuits.
The 6th band indicates the Temperature Coefficient (PPM/°C), which shows how much the resistance value changes with temperature. Common values are Black (250 PPM), Brown (100 PPM), Red (50 PPM), Orange (15 PPM), and Yellow (25 PPM). This is critical for precision analog circuits.
The first band is always the one closest to the end of the resistor. If there’s a gold or silver tolerance band, it’s always on the right side when reading left-to-right. Start reading from the opposite end. The spacing between bands also helps — there’s typically a wider gap between the multiplier and tolerance bands.
Standard tolerance colors: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Green = ±0.5%, Blue = ±0.25%, Violet = ±0.1%, Grey = ±0.05%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ±10%. The most common is Gold (±5%) for general-purpose resistors and Brown (±1%) for metal film precision resistors.
The E-series defines standard resistor values. E12 has 12 values per decade (10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82), used for ±10% tolerance resistors. E24 has 24 values per decade for ±5% tolerance. Higher precision uses E96 or E192 series.