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Resistor Color Code: How to Read the Bands

Resistor color bands encode a resistance value and a tolerance directly on the component, using a standard sequence anyone can learn to read.

Each color maps to a digit, 0 through 9

The sequence runs black=0, brown=1, red=2, orange=3, yellow=4, green=5, blue=6, violet=7, gray=8, white=9. This same sequence is reused for both the significant-digit bands and the multiplier band.

4-band resistors: two digits, a multiplier, a tolerance

The first two bands give the significant digits, the third band is a multiplier (how many zeros to add, or a fraction for gold/silver), and the fourth band gives tolerance, commonly gold (Β±5%) or silver (Β±10%).

5-band resistors: three digits, a multiplier, a tolerance

Higher-precision resistors add a third significant-digit band before the multiplier, allowing more precise values. The tolerance band is often brown (Β±1%) or red (Β±2%) on 5-band parts.

Reading direction matters

The tolerance band (gold, silver, brown, or red, set apart and often slightly wider) is read last, which tells you which end of the resistor to start from. Starting from the wrong end reverses the whole value.

Gold and silver aren't just tolerance colors

As a multiplier band, gold means multiply by 0.1 and silver means multiply by 0.01, used for resistors under 10 ohms. As a tolerance band, the same colors mean Β±5% and Β±10%.

Why colors instead of printed numbers

Color bands stay readable from any angle and at small sizes where printed text would be illegible, and they were standardized decades before compact digital printing on components was practical. The system has stuck around because it still works well for small through-hole parts.

A memory trick engineers actually use

Mnemonic phrases where the first letter of each word matches a color in sequence (black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, gray, white) are a common way students memorize the order, since the sequence itself has no inherent logic to derive it from.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I can't tell which end to start reading from?

Look for the tolerance band β€” it is usually gold or silver, set apart with a slightly larger gap from the rest, and it is always the last band, so it identifies the correct reading direction.

Why do some resistors have 6 bands instead of 4 or 5?

A 6th band adds a temperature coefficient, specifying how much the resistance shifts with temperature change, which matters in precision circuits but is not needed for typical hobby or general-purpose use.