Overview
What Is a Resistor Color Code Calculator?
This tool decodes a resistor's resistance value based on the standard color band coding system used on 4-band resistors.
Decode resistor value from color bands.
This tool decodes a resistor's resistance value based on the standard color band coding system used on 4-band resistors.
Useful for identifying resistor values when the printed color bands are your only reference.
These represent the significant digits.
This determines the power-of-ten multiplier.
The result updates automatically.
The first two bands are significant digits, the third is a multiplier, and a fourth (often present) indicates tolerance.
Black=0, Brown=1, Red=2, Orange=3, Yellow=4, Green=5, Blue=6, Violet=7, Gray=8, White=9.
It indicates how many zeros to add to the significant digits (e.g., Red multiplier means ×100).
No, calculations happen entirely in your browser.
Gold means ×0.1, silver means ×0.01 - used for resistors under 10 ohms.
This focuses on the resistance value from the first three bands - tolerance would need the 4th band color separately.
Yes, identifying resistor values from color codes is a fundamental electronics skill.
5-band resistors have an extra significant digit band - this calculator specifically handles the standard 4-band format.
Yes, completely free with no sign-up required.
Resistors are often too small for printed text, so color coding provides a durable, easily readable value system.