How to Read Resistor Color Codes (3, 4, 5 & 6 Band) — Free Online Calculator

Every through-hole resistor carries its value printed right on its body — not in numbers, but in colored bands. Once you know how to read them, you can identify any resistor in seconds without a multimeter. This guide explains the color code system for 3, 4, 5 and 6-band resistors, and if you want the answer instantly, just use our free tool:

Open the Resistor Color Code Calculator →

How the Color Code System Works

Each color represents a digit from 0 to 9. The first bands give the significant digits, the next band is a multiplier (how many zeros to add), and the band after that tells you the tolerance — how far the real value may deviate from the marked value. The system is defined by the international standard IEC 60062, so the same colors mean the same thing on every resistor in the world.

A classic mnemonic to remember the digit order: Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Violet Grey White — "Better Be Right Or Your Great Big Venture Goes West."

4-Band Resistors (the most common)

Most general-purpose carbon film resistors use 4 bands: two digits, a multiplier, and a tolerance band (usually gold for ±5%).

Example: Yellow – Violet – Red – Gold
Yellow = 4, Violet = 7, Red = ×100 → 4700 Ω = 4.7 kΩ ±5%

5-Band Resistors (precision)

Metal film precision resistors add a third digit for accuracy: three digits, a multiplier, and a tolerance band (usually brown for ±1%).

Example: Brown – Black – Black – Red – Brown
1, 0, 0, ×100 → 10,000 Ω = 10 kΩ ±1%

3-Band and 6-Band Resistors

A 3-band resistor is simply a 4-band resistor without the tolerance band — tolerance defaults to ±20%. A 6-band resistor is a 5-band precision resistor with one extra band for the temperature coefficient (ppm/K), which tells you how much the resistance drifts as the component heats up. Brown (100 ppm/K) is the most common.

Which Band Do I Read First?

Hold the resistor so the tolerance band (gold, silver, or the band spaced slightly apart from the others) is on the right. Then read left to right. If there's no obvious gap, the band closest to a lead is band 1.

Too Many Colors to Remember? Use the Calculator

Our free Resistor Color Code Calculator works both ways:

• Colors → Resistance: pick the band colors on an interactive resistor and read the value, tolerance and range instantly.
• Resistance → Colors: type a value (say 4.7 kΩ ±5%), choose the number of bands, and it draws the color bands for you — perfect when you're picking resistors out of a mixed box.

Try the Calculator Now →

Need Resistors for Your Project?

POGOLABZ stocks carbon film and metal film resistors in all common values and wattages, along with breadboards, development boards, sensors and everything else your build needs — shipped across India from Ernakulam, Kerala.