Morse code translator
Type text and get dots and dashes, or paste dots and dashes and get text back, the direction is detected. Then press play and hear it at real operator speeds.
Guide
How to use it
- Type normal text for text-to-Morse, or paste dots and dashes for the reverse, the tool detects which you mean.
- In Morse, separate letters with spaces and words with / (or |).
- Play as sound beeps it at your chosen speed, the lamp flashes along if the toggle is on.
- The reference chart at the bottom covers letters, digits and punctuation.
Examples
Morse worth knowing
SOS, chosen in 1906 not as an abbreviation but because the pattern is unmistakable: three short, three long, three short, sent as one unbroken sign.
"HI", two of the cheapest letters in the code. E and T got the shortest codes (one dot, one dash) because Morse weighted the alphabet by letter frequency, compression, 1830s style.
CQ, the general call ("seek you"): any station hearing it may answer. Radio amateurs still open contacts with it every day.
Method
How it works
Encoding maps each character through the International Morse table, decoding reverses it, with unknown codes marked visibly rather than silently dropped. Timing follows the standard: a dash is three dots, letters gap by three dots, words by seven.
Audio is synthesised at 650 Hz by your browser (the classic sidetone pitch), and the WPM slider uses the PARIS convention, one WPM equals the word "PARIS" once per minute. Nothing is fetched or transmitted, ironically for a transmission code.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Morse code still used?
Yes: amateur radio keeps it genuinely alive, aviation beacons identify themselves in it, and accessibility switches use it for text entry. The commercial distress watch ended in 1999.
How fast should the audio be?
Beginners copy comfortably at 8 to 12 WPM, licensed operators commonly work 20 plus. Learning tip: keep character speed high and stretch the gaps (Farnsworth timing), rather than slowing the dits themselves.
Why dots and dashes of those lengths?
Everything derives from the dot: dash equals three dots, inter-letter gap three, inter-word gap seven. One number (the dot length) sets the whole rhythm, which is what the WPM slider changes.
What do I use for a space in Morse?
A slash between words is the written convention this tool reads and writes. On air it is simply a longer pause.
Are there Morse codes for accents and symbols?
International Morse covers A to Z, 0 to 9 and common punctuation. Accented letters have regional extensions, this tool sticks to the international core.
Can I learn Morse from this page?
It is a fine practice partner: type words, listen at 15 WPM, try to copy by ear. Pair it with the chart until the sounds, not the shapes, become the letters.
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