Enter a code and press Decode.
Small ceramic capacitors are too tiny to print the full value, so they use a 3-digit code (plus an optional tolerance letter). The first two digits are the significant figures and the third is the multiplier — the number of zeros to add — giving the value in picofarads (pF). For example, 104 means 10 followed by four zeros = 100000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF.
| Multiplier digit | Multiply by |
|---|---|
| 0 | ×1 |
| 1 | ×10 |
| 2 | ×100 |
| 3 | ×1000 (1 nF) |
| 4 | ×10000 |
| 5 | ×100000 |
| 8 / 9 | ×0.01 / ×0.1 (rare) |
A code of two or fewer digits (like "22") is simply the value in pF. An "R" marks a decimal point (4R7 = 4.7 pF). The tolerance letter (J = ±5%, K = ±10%, M = ±20%) follows the number.
The three-digit code works like resistor bands: the first two digits are significant figures and the third is the number of zeros, giving a value in picofarads. So 104 is 10 followed by four zeros — 100,000 pF, or 0.1 µF. A code of 223 is 22,000 pF or 22 nF.
Alongside the value sits a code such as C0G, X7R or Y5V, and it often matters more than the capacitance itself:
| Class | Example | Stability | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | C0G / NP0 | Excellent; ±30 ppm/°C, negligible voltage effect | Filters, timing, oscillators |
| Class 2 | X7R | ±15% over −55 to +125 °C | Decoupling, general bypass |
| Class 2 | Y5V | +22% / −82% over its range | Bulk bypass only, non-critical |
A Y5V part can lose more than four fifths of its capacitance at the edge of its temperature range. Using one in a timing circuit or a filter will produce behaviour that drifts with temperature in ways that are maddening to debug.
Class 2 ceramics also lose capacitance as DC voltage is applied, and the effect is dramatic. A 10 µF X7R rated at 16 V can measure only 3–5 µF when actually operating at 12 V. Nothing is faulty; this is normal behaviour for the dielectric.
It matters because the part is usually chosen for its nameplate value. The remedies are to derate heavily — choose a voltage rating two or three times the working voltage — to use a physically larger case size, or to check the manufacturer’s capacitance-versus-bias curve rather than trusting the printed number. C0G parts are effectively immune, which is another reason they are specified where the value must be right.
The first two digits are the significant figures and the third is the number of zeros to add, giving the value in picofarads. For example 104 = 10 with four zeros = 100000 pF = 0.1 µF.
104 = 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF — the common decoupling/bypass capacitor value.
The code convention always gives picofarads first because ceramic capacitors are usually small. You then convert to nF (÷1000) or µF (÷1,000,000) as needed.
It is the tolerance: J = ±5%, K = ±10%, M = ±20%, and letters like F (±1%) or Z (+80/−20%) for others. It tells you how far the real value can vary.
Then it is simply the value in picofarads. For example "22" means 22 pF and "47" means 47 pF.
R marks a decimal point in a small-value part. So 4R7 = 4.7 pF and R47 = 0.47 pF.
No — 101 is a coded value: 10 × 10¹ = 100 pF. Only two- or one-digit markings are read directly.
Work out the pF value, then divide by 1000 for nF or by 1,000,000 for µF. So 104 = 100000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF.
They are the rare fractional multipliers: 8 means ×0.01 and 9 means ×0.1. Most codes use 0–6.
No — the 3-digit code is only the capacitance. Voltage rating and temperature coefficient (like X7R or C0G) are marked separately or found in the datasheet.
Modern ceramic capacitors use the numeric 3-digit code; older or larger types sometimes used color bands, which are now uncommon.
Convert the value to picofarads, then write the first two significant digits followed by the count of trailing zeros. The second tab of this calculator does it for you.
The first two digits are significant figures and the third is the number of zeros, giving picofarads. 104 means 100,000 pF = 0.1 µF; 223 means 22,000 pF = 22 nF.
A Class 1 dielectric with excellent stability, around ±30 ppm/°C and negligible voltage dependence. It is the right choice for filters, timing circuits and oscillators where the value must stay put.
X7R holds within ±15% from −55 to +125 °C. Y5V can vary from +22% to −82% across its range, so it is only suitable for non-critical bulk bypass.
Class 2 ceramics lose capacitance under DC bias. A 10 µF 16 V X7R part may provide only 3–5 µF at 12 V. This is normal dielectric behaviour, not a fault.
Derate the voltage rating to two or three times the working voltage, use a larger case size, or choose a C0G part where the value is critical. Always check the manufacturer's bias curve rather than the printed value.
It is the capacitance tolerance. J is ±5%, K is ±10% and M is ±20%. It is separate from the dielectric code, which describes temperature behaviour.
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