From Text to Morse Code
Type a message into the text field and the Morse code will automatically appear in the Morse Code field.
Note: If you use a character that can’t be translated into Morse code, a # will be displayed instead.
From Morse Code to Text
Type raw Morse code into the field to have it translated back to plain text. Separate each character with a space. To use a space between words, use a forward slash (/).
For example:
— — .-. … . / -.-. — -.. .
Note: If you use a character that can’t be translated from Morse code, a # will be displayed instead.
Would you rather do it yourself?
You can use the graphic to see what codes to use for each letter in the English alphabet. See what you can come up with! Type your morse code into the fields above to see if you did it correctly.
What is Morse code?
Morse code is named after Samuel Morse, one of the original inventors of the telegraph. Morse code was an efficient method of communication at the time, faster than written message delivery and years before the advent of the telephone. Even after Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone in 1876, it was years before they were widespread enough to be an accessible form of communication.
The most common version of Morse code used today is International Morse Code, which is based on Samuel’s original code but varies in some ways. Each character in Morse code is made up of a series of dots and dashes.
The Morse code alphabet was designed for ease of use, so the most frequently used letters have the shortest codes. For example, the letter E is a single dot, while X is dash dot dot dash.
Letters range from one to four signals, and numbers are made of four signals.
Morse code was a standard form of communication from 1865, and was widely used in the maritime world from its creation until the late 20th century. Nowadays Morse code is more commonly found in puzzles and geocaches.
