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Resistor color code decoder

Decode 4, 5, and 6-band resistor color codes into ohms, tolerance, and temperature coefficient.

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Tool guide

Resistor color code decoder: how it works

Practical information to understand the result and use this tool correctly.

About Resistor color code decoder

Read the EIA color code for 4-band, 5-band, and 6-band resistors. Significant digits, multiplier, tolerance, and the optional temperature coefficient stay in the browser.

Brown, black, red, gold is 10 × 100 Ω = 1 kΩ at ±5%. Yellow, violet, red, gold is 47 × 100 Ω = 4.7 kΩ at ±5%. Brown, black, black, red, brown is 100 × 100 Ω = 10 kΩ at ±1%.

Gold and silver are multipliers or tolerances, never significant digits. A 6th band is ppm/°C (brown 100, red 50, orange 15, yellow 25, blue 10, violet 5). This does not measure a physical part.

How to use it

  1. 1Choose 4, 5, or 6 bands.
  2. 2Pick each band color, or use a preset for 1 kΩ ±5%, 4.7 kΩ ±5%, or 10 kΩ ±1%.
  3. 3Copy ohms, the tolerance window, and ppm/°C when a sixth band is set.

Frequently asked questions

What is brown black red gold?
A 4-band code: 1 and 0, multiplier ×100, gold ±5%. That is 1,000 Ω, or 1 kΩ, from 950 Ω to 1,050 Ω.
How is a 5-band resistor different?
It adds a third significant digit before the multiplier. Brown-black-black-red-brown is 100 × 100 Ω = 10 kΩ at ±1%.
Can gold be the first band?
No. Gold and silver are rejected as significant digits. They only work as multiplier (×0.1 or ×0.01) or tolerance (±5% or ±10%).
Does this test the resistor?
No. It only decodes the printed color code. A meter is still needed to check a real part.