This free resistor color code calculator decodes 4-band, 5-band and 6-band resistors: pick the band colors to get the resistance, tolerance and temperature coefficient. It also works in reverse — type a value such as 220, 4.7k or 10k to see its color bands. A full resistor color code chart and the band colors of common values are below.
How to read a resistor color code
- Hold the resistor so the tolerance band (often gold or silver, set apart from the others) is on the right.
- Read the first two bands (three on 5- and 6-band resistors) as digits.
- Multiply by the multiplier band.
- The next band is the tolerance; on 6-band resistors the last band is the temperature coefficient.
Resistor color code chart
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance | Temp. coeff. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 | — | 250 ppm/K |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 | ±1% | 100 ppm/K |
| Red | 2 | ×100 | ±2% | 50 ppm/K |
| Orange | 3 | ×1k | — | 15 ppm/K |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10k | — | 25 ppm/K |
| Green | 5 | ×100k | ±0.5% | 20 ppm/K |
| Blue | 6 | ×1M | ±0.25% | 10 ppm/K |
| Violet | 7 | ×10M | ±0.1% | 5 ppm/K |
| Grey | 8 | ×100M | ±0.05% | 1 ppm/K |
| White | 9 | ×1G | — | — |
| Gold | — | ×0.1 | ±5% | — |
| Silver | — | ×0.01 | ±10% | — |
| None | — | — | ±20% | — |
Example: yellow, violet, red, gold
Yellow = 4, violet = 7, red = ×100 → 47 × 100 = 4,700 Ω (4.7 kΩ), gold = ±5%, so the real value is between 4,465 Ω and 4,935 Ω.
Color codes of common resistor values
4-band resistors shown with a gold (±5%) tolerance band, 5-band with brown (±1%).
| Resistance | 4-band colors | 5-band colors |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Ω | Brown, Black, Black, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Gold, Brown |
| 47 Ω | Yellow, Violet, Black, Gold | Yellow, Violet, Black, Gold, Brown |
| 100 Ω | Brown, Black, Brown, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Black, Brown |
| 220 Ω | Red, Red, Brown, Gold | Red, Red, Black, Black, Brown |
| 330 Ω | Orange, Orange, Brown, Gold | Orange, Orange, Black, Black, Brown |
| 470 Ω | Yellow, Violet, Brown, Gold | Yellow, Violet, Black, Black, Brown |
| 1 kΩ | Brown, Black, Red, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Brown, Brown |
| 2.2 kΩ | Red, Red, Red, Gold | Red, Red, Black, Brown, Brown |
| 4.7 kΩ | Yellow, Violet, Red, Gold | Yellow, Violet, Black, Brown, Brown |
| 10 kΩ | Brown, Black, Orange, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Red, Brown |
| 47 kΩ | Yellow, Violet, Orange, Gold | Yellow, Violet, Black, Red, Brown |
| 100 kΩ | Brown, Black, Yellow, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Orange, Brown |
| 1 MΩ | Brown, Black, Green, Gold | Brown, Black, Black, Yellow, Brown |
Need to know which resistor to use? The LED resistor calculator and Ohm's law calculator work out the value, then come back here for its colors.