Convert text to Morse code and Morse code to text.
Morse code is a telecommunication system that encodes text characters as sequences of dots (short signals, called "dits") and dashes (long signals, called "dahs"). Developed in the 1830s by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail for the electric telegraph, Morse code became the foundation of long-distance communication for over a century. It's still used today by amateur (ham) radio operators, aviation, and military communications. Our free Morse Code Translator instantly converts text to standard International Morse Code and decodes Morse code back to text, supporting letters A–Z, digits 0–9, and common punctuation — all in your browser.
Text to Morse Code
/Morse Code to Text
| Char | Code | Char | Code | Char | Code | Char | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | .- | B | -... | C | -.-. | D | -.. |
| E | . | F | ..-. | G | --. | H | .... |
| I | .. | J | .--- | K | -.- | L | .-.. |
| M | -- | N | -. | O | --- | P | .--. |
| S | ... | T | - | 1 | .---- | 2 | ..--- |
| 5 | ..... | 0 | ----- | . | .-.-.- | ? | ..--.. |
Amateur (Ham) Radio Practice
Morse code proficiency was a required license exam component for amateur radio operators for decades. While the FCC eliminated the Morse requirement in 2007, many ham radio operators still use it for low-bandwidth emergency communication when voice transmission fails. This translator helps beginners memorize the code by converting messages back and forth, and helps experienced operators verify specific character sequences when learning less common prosigns and punctuation.
Emergency Signaling and Survival Skills
The SOS distress signal (··· --- ···) is recognizable worldwide and can be transmitted via any light source, sound, or physical tapping. Learning Morse code for emergency situations could be life-saving in scenarios where voice communication is impossible. Use this tool to memorize the most critical signals: SOS (··· --- ···), CQ (calling all stations), and DE (this is). The simplicity of dot-dash signals makes Morse uniquely robust for improvised signaling.
Puzzles, Escape Rooms, and Geocaching
Morse code is a popular cipher in puzzle games, escape rooms, scavenger hunts, and geocaching challenges. Puzzle designers hide clues as sequences of dots and dashes that players must translate. Use this decoder to quickly solve Morse code puzzles without memorizing the entire alphabet. Conversely, use the encoder to create your own Morse code puzzles for others to solve.
Q: What characters can be translated to Morse code?
A: The International Morse Code standard covers all 26 English letters (A–Z, case-insensitive), digits 0–9, and common punctuation including period (.), comma (,), question mark (?), exclamation mark (!), apostrophe ('), hyphen (-), slash (/), and parentheses. Characters outside this set (accented letters, emoji, Chinese characters, etc.) are not part of the standard and will be skipped or shown as unknown.
Q: Is there a difference between American Morse Code and International Morse Code?
A: Yes. American Morse Code (also called Railroad Morse) was the original system used in the 19th century for US telegraph lines. It differs from the International (ITU) Morse Code in character assignments and includes spaces within some letters. This tool uses International Morse Code, which is the worldwide standard used by ham radio operators, aviation, and maritime communication.
Q: How do I decode audio Morse code?
A: This tool handles text-based Morse code (dots and dashes as typed characters). To decode audio Morse code — recordings of actual beeps and signals — you'd need a Morse audio decoder that analyzes sound waveforms. You can also listen carefully and transcribe the dots and dashes manually by counting the relative lengths of tones (short = dot, long = dash), then paste the transcribed code into this tool to get the text.
Q: What does SOS look like in Morse code?
A: SOS is ··· --- ··· (three dots, three dashes, three dots). It's transmitted as a continuous sequence without the normal inter-letter spacing, making it recognizable as a unique distress signal. Contrary to popular belief, SOS doesn't stand for anything — it was chosen because it's distinctive and easy to remember and transmit.
Q: Is my text private when using this tool?
A: Yes. All translation happens entirely in your browser. No text is sent to any server, stored, or logged. Your messages remain completely private.