Resistor Color Code Calculator: 4, 5 & 6-Band

Resistor color code calculator

Number of bands

Band 1 (1st digit)

Band 2 (2nd digit)

Multiplier

Tolerance

Resistance

1 kΩ

Tolerance

±5%

Band count

4-band

Tolerance range

Minimum950 Ω

Maximum1.05 kΩ

Band colors

DigitDigitMult.Tol.

Color	Digit	Multiplier	Tolerance	Temp. coeff.
Black	0	×1	—	250 ppm/°C
Brown	1	×10	±1%	100 ppm/°C
Red	2	×100	±2%	50 ppm/°C
Orange	3	×1k	±0.05%	15 ppm/°C
Yellow	4	×10k	±0.02%	25 ppm/°C
Green	5	×100k	±0.5%	20 ppm/°C
Blue	6	×1M	±0.25%	10 ppm/°C
Violet	7	×10M	±0.1%	5 ppm/°C
Grey	8	×100M	±0.01%	1 ppm/°C
White	9	×1G	—	—
Gold	—	×0.1	±5%	—
Silver	—	×0.01	±10%	—

Color

Digit

Multiplier

Tolerance

Temp. coeff.

Black

×1

—

250 ppm/°C

Brown

×10

±1%

100 ppm/°C

Red

×100

±2%

50 ppm/°C

Orange

×1k

±0.05%

15 ppm/°C

Yellow

×10k

±0.02%

25 ppm/°C

Green

×100k

±0.5%

20 ppm/°C

Blue

×1M

±0.25%

10 ppm/°C

Violet

×10M

±0.1%

5 ppm/°C

Grey

×100M

±0.01%

1 ppm/°C

White

×1G

—

Gold

—

×0.1

±5%

—

Silver

—

×0.01

±10%

—

Resistor Color Code Calculator: 4, 5 & 6-Band Decoder

Decode resistor band colors into resistance values. Interactive calculator with real-time visualization, tolerance range, and a complete resistor color code chart.

What This Calculator Does

This resistor color code calculator (also called a resistor band calculator or resistor value calculator) decodes the colored bands on through-hole resistors into a resistance value, tolerance, and temperature coefficient. Select 4, 5, or 6 bands, click the colors that match your resistor, and the calculator instantly shows the resistance in ohms with the correct SI prefix (kΩ, MΩ), the tolerance percentage, and the min/max range. A resistor diagram updates in real time so you can visually confirm the band pattern. Below the calculator, a complete resistor color code chart provides a reference for all band colors and their values.

How the Math Works

The resistance encoded by the color bands is calculated differently depending on the band count:

4-band resistor:

$R = (d_1 \times 10 + d_2) \times \text{multiplier}$
where $d_1$ and $d_2$ are the digit values of the first two bands. Example: Brown (1), Black (0), Red (×100) = $(1 \times 10 + 0) \times 100 = 1{,}000\,\Omega$ (1 kΩ).
5-band resistor:

$R = (d_1 \times 100 + d_2 \times 10 + d_3) \times \text{multiplier}$
Three digits give one more significant figure. Example: Brown (1), Black (0), Black (0), Brown (×10) = $100 \times 10 = 1{,}000\,\Omega$ (1 kΩ).
Tolerance range:

$R_{\min} = R \times (1 - \tfrac{\text{tol}}{100}), \quad R_{\max} = R \times (1 + \tfrac{\text{tol}}{100})$
A 1 kΩ resistor with ±5% tolerance: $R_{\min} = 950\,\Omega$ , $R_{\max} = 1{,}050\,\Omega$ .

How to Use This Calculator

Select 4-band, 5-band, or 6-band at the top. Then click the color buttons for each band position: digit bands first, then the multiplier, then tolerance, and (for 6-band) the temperature coefficient. The resistor diagram updates live so you can visually match it to the component in your hand. The right column shows the decoded resistance, tolerance, and min/max range. Click Copy value to copy the result to your clipboard. The color code chart below the calculator is a full reference you can use without the interactive tool.

Choosing the Right Band Count: 4, 5, or 6

The number of bands on a resistor is not arbitrary; it reflects the precision and intended application of the component.

4-band resistors:

Two significant digits. Standard for ±5% and ±10% tolerance. Common in hobby electronics, breadboard prototyping, and circuits where exact values are not critical (pull-up/pull-down resistors, LED current limiting, basic voltage dividers). The most widely available and cheapest format.
5-band resistors:

Three significant digits. Standard for ±1% and ±0.5% tolerance. Used in audio circuits, analog signal conditioning, active filters, and anywhere that resistor accuracy matters. The three-digit encoding allows values like 4.7 kΩ and 47.5 kΩ that 4-band coding cannot represent.
6-band resistors:

Same as 5-band plus a temperature coefficient (tempco) band. Used in precision instrumentation, measurement equipment, and circuits that operate across wide temperature ranges. The tempco band (in ppm/°C) tells you how much the resistance drifts per degree of temperature change.

Common Resistor Values and the E-Series

Resistors are not manufactured in every possible value. Instead, they follow E-series preferred values: logarithmically spaced numbers that cover each decade. The E12 series (used for ±10% resistors) has 12 values per decade: 10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82. The E24 series (±5%) doubles that to 24 values. The E96 series (±1%) has 96 values per decade, covering increments like 1.00, 1.02, 1.05, and so on. When you decode a resistor and get an unusual number like 4,700 Ω or 22,000 Ω, these come directly from the E-series. Knowing the series helps you pick the nearest standard value when designing a circuit.

FAQ

How do I read a 4-band resistor color code?

Hold the resistor so the grouped bands are on the left. The first two bands are digits (0–9). The third band is the multiplier (the factor you multiply the two-digit number by). The fourth band is the tolerance. For example, Brown-Black-Red-Gold reads as 10 × 100 = 1,000 Ω with ±5% tolerance.

How do I read a 5-band resistor color code?

A 5-band resistor has three digit bands instead of two, giving more precision. Bands 1–3 are digits, band 4 is the multiplier, and band 5 is the tolerance. Brown-Black-Black-Brown-Brown reads as 100 × 10 = 1,000 Ω with ±1% tolerance. Five-band resistors are standard for ±1% and tighter tolerances.

What does the gold band on a resistor mean?

Gold has two meanings depending on which band position it occupies. As a tolerance band (the last band), gold means ±5%, the most common tolerance for general-purpose resistors. As a multiplier band (the band before tolerance), gold means ×0.1, which produces sub-1 Ω values like 4.7 Ω.

What is the difference between 4, 5, and 6-band resistors?

A 4-band resistor encodes two digits, a multiplier, and a tolerance. A 5-band resistor adds a third digit for higher precision (common for 1% resistors). A 6-band resistor adds a temperature coefficient band that tells you how much the resistance changes per degree Celsius, important for precision and instrumentation circuits.

How do I tell which end of a resistor to start reading from?

The first band is usually closer to one end of the resistor body, and the tolerance band (often gold or silver) has a wider gap separating it from the others. If the bands are evenly spaced, gold or silver will always be the tolerance band, never a digit, so read from the opposite end.

What does resistor tolerance mean in practice?

Tolerance is the maximum percentage that the actual resistance can deviate from the marked value. A 1 kΩ resistor with ±5% (gold) tolerance can measure anywhere from 950 Ω to 1,050 Ω out of the factory. For most hobby and general electronics, ±5% is fine. Precision analog circuits, filters, and measurement equipment use ±1% or tighter.

What is a resistor color code chart?

A resistor color code chart is a reference table that maps each band color (black through white, plus gold and silver) to its digit value (0–9), multiplier, tolerance, and temperature coefficient. It is the standard way to decode through-hole resistors, which use colored bands instead of printed numbers because the markings need to be readable from any orientation.

How do I calculate resistance from band colors?

Combine the digit bands into a number, then multiply by the multiplier band. For a 4-band resistor: (Band1 × 10 + Band2) × Multiplier. For a 5-band resistor: (Band1 × 100 + Band2 × 10 + Band3) × Multiplier. The tolerance band tells you the accuracy range.

Sources & citations

References used for the calculation method and definitions. Links open in a new tab when available.

[1]

IEC 60062:2016 — Marking codes for resistors and capacitors

International standard defining the color code marking system for fixed resistors, including band colors, digit values, multipliers, and tolerance designations used in this calculator.

[2]

EIA-RS-279 — Resistor color code standard

Electronic Industries Alliance standard that established the resistor color code convention used worldwide. Defines the mapping of colors to digit values, multipliers, and tolerance bands for 4, 5, and 6-band resistors.

Resistor Color Code Calculator

Resistor color code calculator

Resistor color code chart

Information hub

How to read resistor bands

4-band vs 5-band vs 6-band

Tolerance and real-world values

Common mnemonics

Reading resistor color codes

Key concepts

Band order matters

5-band resistors are more precise

Gold and silver are special

Use the reference chart

Resistor Color Code Calculator: 4, 5 & 6-Band Decoder

What This Calculator Does

How the Math Works

How to Use This Calculator

Choosing the Right Band Count: 4, 5, or 6

Common Resistor Values and the E-Series

FAQ

How do I read a 4-band resistor color code?

How do I read a 5-band resistor color code?

What does the gold band on a resistor mean?

What is the difference between 4, 5, and 6-band resistors?

How do I tell which end of a resistor to start reading from?

What does resistor tolerance mean in practice?

What is a resistor color code chart?

How do I calculate resistance from band colors?

Sources & citations

Electronics Reference Note