Resistor Color Code Calculator
Decode any 4, 5 or 6 band resistor from its color bands, or reverse a resistance value back into bands. See a live resistor, tolerance range, temperature coefficient and the nearest standard E-series value.
More than a color chart
Live resistor
A real resistor graphic updates as you pick bands, so you can match it against the part in your hand.
Reverse mode
Type any resistance and tolerance and get the exact color bands back, plus the nearest buyable value.
E-series & range
Shows tolerance min/max range and flags the nearest E12/E24/E96 standard value, which most tools skip.
How to read a resistor color code
Resistors use colored bands to encode their value. Reading left to right, the first bands are significant digits, the next is a multiplier (a power of ten), and the last is the tolerance. This resistor color code calculator supports every common layout and also works in reverse.
- 4-band: digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance. Example: brown, black, red, gold = 1 kΩ ±5%.
- 5-band: digit, digit, digit, multiplier, tolerance, for tighter precision.
- 6-band: same as 5-band plus a temperature coefficient (ppm/K) band.
Resistor color code chart
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance |
|---|
What makes this calculator different
Most online tools only decode bands into a number. This one adds a live resistor drawing, a full reverse mode (value to bands), the tolerance min/max range in real ohms, the temperature coefficient for 6-band parts, and an E-series check so you know whether the value is a real, purchasable standard resistor.
Quick memory trick
A classic mnemonic for the digit colors (black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, grey, white) is "B B ROY of Great Britain had a Very Good Wife". Black is 0 and white is 9.