Decode any 4-band or 5-band resistor instantly — or enter a value to find the color bands. Includes tolerance and E-series reference.
Decode / Encode
Bands:
Ω
Color Code Reference Table
Quick reference for all band colors, their digit values, multipliers and tolerances:
Color
Digit
Multiplier
Tolerance
How to Read a Resistor Color Code
Step 1 — Find the tolerance band
Gold or silver bands are always the tolerance (last) band. Hold the resistor so this band is on the right. The remaining bands are read left to right.
Step 2 — Read the digit bands
4-band: Bands 1 and 2 are the two significant digits. 5-band: Bands 1, 2 and 3 are three significant digits (higher precision).
Step 3 — Apply the multiplier
The multiplier band (Band 3 for 4-band, Band 4 for 5-band) is a power of 10. Multiply the digit value by this number to get the resistance in ohms.
Step 4 — Note the tolerance
The last band shows the tolerance. Gold = ±5%, Silver = ±10%, Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%. This means a 1 kΩ ±5% resistor can be anywhere from 950 Ω to 1050 Ω.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I read a resistor color code?▾
Hold the resistor so the gold or silver tolerance band is on the right. Read the remaining bands from left to right. For 4-band: digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance. For 5-band: digit, digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance.
What do the colors mean?▾
The color-to-digit mapping follows the rainbow order plus black and white:
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What is the difference between 4-band and 5-band resistors?▾
4-band resistors give 2 significant digits (e.g. 47 Ω, 1.0 kΩ) and are the most common type, typically ±5% or ±10% tolerance. 5-band resistors give 3 significant digits (e.g. 475 Ω, 1.00 kΩ) and are precision resistors, usually ±1% or ±2% tolerance.
What does Brown Black Red Gold mean?▾
Brown=1, Black=0, Red=×100 multiplier, Gold=±5%. Value = 10 × 100 = 1000 Ω = 1 kΩ ±5%. Actual range: 950 Ω to 1050 Ω.
What does a 5-band Brown Black Black Brown Brown mean?▾
Brown=1, Black=0, Black=0, Brown=×10 multiplier, Brown=±1%. Value = 100 × 10 = 1000 Ω = 1 kΩ ±1%. Actual range: 990 Ω to 1010 Ω.