How to use it
- Choose Colors to value, Value to colors or SMD code.
- Pick 4, 5 or 6 bands.
- Click each band and choose its color (or type a value like 4k7).
- Read the resistance, tolerance and nearest standard values.
Color code chart
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance | Temp. coefficient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 | 250 ppm/K | |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 | ±1% (F) | 100 ppm/K |
| Red | 2 | ×100 | ±2% (G) | 50 ppm/K |
| Orange | 3 | ×1k | ±0.05% (W) | 15 ppm/K |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10k | ±0.02% (P) | 25 ppm/K |
| Green | 5 | ×100k | ±0.5% (D) | 20 ppm/K |
| Blue | 6 | ×1M | ±0.25% (C) | 10 ppm/K |
| Violet | 7 | ×10M | ±0.1% (B) | 5 ppm/K |
| Gray | 8 | ×100M | ±0.01% (L) | 1 ppm/K |
| White | 9 | ×1G | ||
| Gold | ×0.1 | ±5% (J) | ||
| Silver | ×0.01 | ±10% (K) | ||
| None | ±20% (M) |
The values follow IEC 60062. A classic mnemonic for the digit order is "Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well": black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gray, white.
How to read 4, 5 and 6 band resistors
- 4 bands: digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance. Yellow-violet-red-gold = 47 × 100 = 4.7 kΩ ±5%.
- 5 bands: digit, digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance. Yellow-violet-black-brown-brown = 470 × 10 = 4.7 kΩ ±1%.
- 6 bands: like 5 bands, plus a temperature coefficient band, for example brown = 100 ppm/K.
To find the starting end, look for the tolerance band: it's usually gold, silver or brown, and often set slightly apart on the right. A band at the very edge of the body is usually the first digit. The calculator shows the minimum and maximum value within the tolerance.
From value to colors
Type the value the way it's often written on schematics: 4k7, 4.7k, 470, 1M, 2R2 (2.2 Ω) or 0R22 (0.22 Ω). Choose the tolerance (and the temperature coefficient for 6 bands), and the calculator draws the resistor and lists the colors. If the value has more significant digits than the band count allows, it's rounded and the calculator says so.
It also shows whether the value is in the E12, E24 or E96 series (the standard values resistors are actually made in), the nearest E24 (±5%) and E96 (±1%) values, and the SMD codes for the same value.
SMD resistor codes
Surface-mount resistors are too small for bands and carry a printed code instead:
- 3-digit: two significant digits plus the number of zeros. 472 = 47 × 100 = 4.7 kΩ.
- 4-digit: three significant digits plus zeros, used for 1% parts. 1002 = 100 × 100 = 10 kΩ.
- R as decimal point: 4R7 = 4.7 Ω, R22 = 0.22 Ω.
- EIA-96: two digits (an index into the E96 series) plus a letter multiplier, common on small 1% parts: 01C = 100 × 100 = 10 kΩ.
A part marked 0 or 000 is a 0 Ω jumper. Some codes can be read two ways; the calculator lists the alternatives.
Tips
Colors fade on old or overheated resistors, and brown, red and orange can be hard to tell apart under warm light. If in doubt, measure the resistor out of circuit with a multimeter; in circuit, parallel parts change the reading.
Frequently asked questions
What is the color code for a 10k resistor?
4 bands: brown, black, orange, then the tolerance band (gold for 5%). 5 bands: brown, black, black, red, brown (1%).
What is the color code for a 220 ohm resistor?
4 bands: red, red, brown, gold. 5 bands: red, red, black, black, brown.
Which side do I read a resistor from?
Start from the end opposite the tolerance band, which is usually gold, silver or brown and set slightly apart.
What does a gold band mean?
As the last band, ±5% tolerance. As the multiplier (third band of four), ×0.1.
What does 103 mean on an SMD resistor?
10 followed by three zeros: 10,000 Ω, or 10 kΩ.
Last updated: November 12, 2026