Resistor Color Code Calculator

Select band colors to decode resistor value, or enter a value to find the color code.

Band 1 (1st digit)

Band 2 (2nd digit)

Band 3 (Multiplier)

Band 4 (Tolerance)

Resistance —

Tolerance —

Actual range —

Read bands left to right with the tolerance band (gold/silver) on the right. For 5-band resistors, the first three bands are digits.

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How to Read Resistor Color Codes

Resistor color codes use colored bands to indicate resistance value and tolerance. A standard 4-band resistor has two digit bands, a multiplier band, and a tolerance band.

The first two bands represent the first two digits of the resistance value. The third band is the multiplier (number of zeros to add). The fourth band indicates tolerance.

Gold tolerance (±5%) and brown tolerance (±1%) are the most common. When in doubt, orient the resistor so the gold or silver band is on the right side.