Resistor Color Code Calculator
Pick the colors to read a resistor’s value, tolerance and range, or enter a value to see which bands to look for.
How it works
The code follows IEC 60062. On a four-band resistor, the first two bands are digits, the third is the multiplier (a power of ten) and the fourth is the tolerance. Five-band (precision) resistors add a third digit, and six-band resistors add a sixth band for the temperature coefficient. Gold and silver as a multiplier mean ×0.1 and ×0.01. The calculator multiplies the digits by the multiplier and applies the tolerance to give the range the real part can fall in. The code, markings and standard values are explained on the Resistors page.
Worked example
Yellow, violet, red, gold: the digits are 4 and 7, the multiplier is red (× 100), and gold means ±5 %. The value is 47 × 100 = 4 700 Ω, or 4.7 kΩ, with a range of 4.465 to 4.935 kΩ. A five-band brown, black, black, red, brown is 100 × 100 = 10 kΩ ±1 %.
Things to know
Reading direction matters. The tolerance band is usually set slightly apart, or is gold or silver. If the bands run toward the wrong end, the value will not be a standard value, which is a good check.
Brown and red look alike on old or burnt resistors. When it matters, measure with a multimeter out of the circuit.
The calculator shows the value the bands represent, not whether the resistor is within tolerance. Measure to check.
Surface-mount resistors use numbers instead of colors (for example 103 = 10 kΩ); see the Resistors page.
Common questions
What do the colors mean?
Black 0, brown 1, red 2, orange 3, yellow 4, green 5, blue 6, violet 7, gray 8, white 9. For the multiplier, gold is × 0.1 and silver × 0.01. For tolerance, brown is ±1 %, red ±2 %, gold ±5 % and silver ±10 %.
How do I know which end to start from?
Start from the end with the bands closer together. The tolerance band is typically a gold or silver band, set a little apart from the others.
Why can I not find some values with four bands?
Four bands give two significant digits, so a value like 4.99 kΩ needs five bands. Such values are in the E96 series with 1 % tolerance.
What is the sixth band?
It gives the temperature coefficient in parts per million per degree Celsius, for precision parts: brown 100, red 50, orange 15, yellow 25, blue 10 and violet 5.
Sources
- IEC 60062, Marking codes for resistors and capacitors.
- IEC 60063, Preferred number series for resistors and capacitors (E-series).
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026