How to use the Morse Code Translator
The tool runs in both directions:
- Text to Morse: type or paste your text in the top box, then click Text to Morse. Letters are separated by a single space; words are separated by
/ . - Morse to Text: paste morse code in the bottom box, then click Morse to Text. Use dots
. and hyphens -, a space between letters, and / between words.
All 26 letters, digits 0-9, and common punctuation are supported. Characters the tool does not recognise are silently skipped; unrecognised morse sequences return an error message.
International Morse Code reference
The International Morse Code alphabet, standardised by the ITU:
| Char | Morse | Char | Morse | Char | Morse |
|---|
| A | .- | J | .--- | S | ... |
| B | -... | K | -.- | T | - |
| C | -.-. | L | .-.. | U | ..- |
| D | -.. | M | -- | V | ...- |
| E | . | N | -. | W | .-- |
| F | ..-. | O | --- | X | -..- |
| G | --. | P | .--. | Y | -.-- |
| H | .... | Q | --.- | Z | --.. |
| I | .. | R | .-. | 0 | ----- |
| 1 | .---- | 2 | ..--- | 3 | ...-- |
| 4 | ....- | 5 | ..... | 6 | -.... |
| 7 | --... | 8 | ---.. | 9 | ----. |
A short history of morse code
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed the code in the 1830s for the electric telegraph. It spread fast: across railroad lines, then under the Atlantic. Skilled operators could copy 25 or more words per minute by ear alone, no display involved. The system carried traffic through both World Wars, and merchant vessels were still required to monitor the distress frequency at 500 kHz until 1999. Today it shows up in amateur radio, aviation navigation beacons, and some assistive-technology input methods. The SOS signal (... --- ...) remains universally recognised, which is a longer shelf life than most 19th-century technology gets.
Frequently asked questions
What symbols does morse code use?
International Morse Code uses dots (.) and hyphens (-). A dot is a short signal; a hyphen is three times longer. Letters are separated by a pause (shown here as a space), and words by a longer pause (shown here as / ).
How do I decode morse code?
Split the morse string at spaces to get individual letter codes, then look each one up in the morse alphabet. Use / to find word boundaries. This translator does that for you.
Is morse code still used today?
Yes, though rarely for general communication. Amateur (ham) radio operators still use it, aviation VOR beacons still broadcast their identifiers in morse, and it is an accepted assistive-technology input method in some accessibility contexts.
Is this morse code translator free?
Yes. No signup, no data upload, nothing stored. The translation runs entirely in your browser.