How to Read Resistor Color Code — Chart & Beginner's Guide
Step-by-step resistor color code guide: free chart, mnemonic, 4/5/6-band walkthrough & tolerance explained. Learn to read any through-hole resistor in under 60 seconds.
Decode any resistor in seconds
What is the resistor color code?
The resistor color code is an IEC 60062 standard that encodes resistance value, tolerance, and sometimes temperature coefficient using colored bands on the component body. It exists because printing tiny numbers on small cylindrical parts is impractical.
If you already know the band colors and want an instant value, skip ahead to our Resistor Color Code Calculator — this guide teaches you how to read them by hand.
How to read resistor color code (step by step)
- Find the tolerance band — gold or silver is almost always on the right
- Start from the opposite end — the grouped bands (closer together) mark the start
- Read digits — first two (4-band) or three (5-band) colors are significant digits
- Apply the multiplier — the next band multiplies by a power of 10
- Note tolerance — gold = ±5%, silver = ±10%, brown = ±1%
- Verify — use the calculator or a multimeter if bands are faded
Resistor color code chart (quick reference)
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 | — |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 | ±1% |
| Red | 2 | ×100 | ±2% |
| Orange | 3 | ×1 k | — |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10 k | — |
| Green | 5 | ×100 k | — |
| Blue | 6 | ×1 M | — |
| Violet | 7 | ×10 M | — |
| Gray | 8 | ×100 M | — |
| White | 9 | ×1 G | — |
| Gold | — | ×0.1 | ±5% |
| Silver | — | ×0.01 | ±10% |
4-band resistor color code (most common)
Read left to right with the tolerance band (gold/silver) on the right:
| Band | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1st | First significant digit |
| 2nd | Second significant digit |
| 3rd | Multiplier (power of 10) |
| 4th | Tolerance |
Example — Brown Black Red Gold: 1 · 0 · ×100 · ±5% → 1 kΩ ±5%
Common resistor color codes
| Value | 4-band colors | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 220 Ω | Red · Red · Brown · Gold | 22 × 10 = 220 Ω ±5% |
| 1 kΩ | Brown · Black · Red · Gold | 10 × 100 = 1 kΩ ±5% |
| 4.7 kΩ | Yellow · Violet · Red · Gold | 47 × 100 = 4.7 kΩ ±5% |
| 10 kΩ | Brown · Black · Orange · Gold | 10 × 1k = 10 kΩ ±5% |
| 1 MΩ | Brown · Black · Green · Gold | 10 × 100k = 1 MΩ ±5% |
5-band & 6-band codes
- 5-band: adds a third significant digit (common for 1% precision parts)
- 6-band: adds temperature coefficient (ppm/°C) — brown = 100 ppm/°C, red = 50 ppm/°C
5-band example — Brown Black Black Brown Brown: 100 × 10 = 1 kΩ ±1%
Resistor color code mnemonic
Classic phrase: "Bad Beer Rots Out Your Guts But Value Good Works"
(B Black, B Brown, R Red, O Orange, Y Yellow, G Green, B Blue, V Violet, G Gray, W White)
Alternative: "BB ROY of Great Britain has a Very Good Wife"
Tolerance in resistance
Tolerance is how far the actual measured value may deviate from the printed code. It matters whenever you need matched pairs (voltage dividers, op-amp gain sets, current mirrors).
| Band color | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| Brown | ±1% |
| Red | ±2% |
| Gold | ±5% |
| Silver | ±10% |
Worked example: A 1 kΩ ±5% (Brown-Black-Red-Gold) resistor may measure anywhere from 950 Ω to 1 050 Ω. Two "1 kΩ" parts from the same reel can differ by up to 100 Ω — fine for pull-ups, problematic for precision dividers.
For matched networks, specify ±1% metal-film (brown tolerance band) and verify with our color code calculator.
Common mistakes
- Reading the band order backwards — tolerance is almost always gold/silver on the right
- Ignoring tolerance when matching pairs in dividers
- Confusing 5-band with 4-band on 1 kΩ parts (Brown-Black-Black-Brown-Brown = 1 kΩ ±1%, not 100 Ω)
- Using color codes on SMD parts — surface-mount resistors use numeric codes (103 = 10 kΩ)
Next step: decode instantly
Once you can read the bands, use our free Resistor Color Code Calculator to tap colors and get exact ohms. Browse common E24 values (220 Ω, 1k, 10k… for value-specific diagrams and videos. For networks with multiple resistors, follow up with the Series & Parallel Resistor Calculator.