Morse Code Translator

What is Morse code?

Morse code encodes letters and numbers as sequences of short signals (dots, or "dits") and long signals (dashes, or "dahs"). It was developed in the 1830s and 1840s for the electric telegraph by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail, and the International Morse Code version used today was standardized later. It can be sent by sound, light, or radio, which is why amateur radio operators and pilots still learn it.

Today it is still used by amateur radio operators, and radio navigation beacons used in aviation identify themselves with short Morse code idents. Because it needs only an on/off signal, it also works with a flashlight, a buzzer or taps, which is why it remains useful in emergencies and for accessibility.

Timing is what makes Morse readable: a dash is three times as long as a dot, letters are separated by a gap of three dots, and words by seven. In written form, this translator uses a space between letters and a slash between words.

How to translate Morse code step by step

1. Type or paste. Enter plain text such as HELLO, or Morse code such as .... . .-.. .-.. ---. The translator checks whether the input contains only dots, dashes, spaces and slashes and picks the direction for you. Use the Text → Morse or Morse → Text buttons to force a direction.
2. Check the separators. In Morse input, put one space between letters and a slash between words: .... .. / - .... . .-. .. Three or more spaces also count as a word break.
3. Listen or watch. Press Play to hear the code. Set the speed from 5 to 40 words per minute and the tone from 300 to 1000 Hz. The round light flashes with each dot and dash, which helps when learning to recognise rhythm visually.
4. Copy or download. Copy the output, or download the audio as a WAV file to use in a video, a puzzle or practice sessions. The file is created in your browser at the speed and tone you selected.

Things to try

Click an example to load it into the translator.

• SOS becomes ... --- .... Play it at a slow speed and notice that the dashes are three times as long as the dots.
• HI THERE becomes .... .. / - .... . .-. .. The slash shows the longer gap between the two words.
• I LOVE YOU in Morse decodes back to text. The number 143 is a well-known shorthand for the same phrase (1, 4 and 3 letters), but Morse sends it as digits: .---- ....- ...--.
• CQ is the general call amateur radio operators use to invite any station to reply, and DE means "from".

Common mistakes

• Missing letter spaces. ...... is not "HI" but an unknown code shown as #. Write .... .. with a space so the letters stay separate.
• Using the wrong symbols. Long dashes (— or –) and middle dots (• or ·) are converted automatically, but letters like O or 0 typed in place of dashes switch the translator to Text mode.
• Expecting lowercase or accents. Morse has no case, so output is always capitals. Accented letters such as é are not in the International table and appear as #.
• Playing too fast while learning. At 30 or 40 WPM individual dots are hard to hear. Many learners start with characters at a moderate speed and longer gaps, then speed up.

Morse code timing and speed

All Morse timing is based on one unit, the length of a dot. A dash is three units, the gap inside a letter is one unit, the gap between letters three units and the gap between words seven units. Speed in words per minute is measured with the standard word PARIS, which is exactly 50 units long including the word gap. That gives a unit of 1.2 ÷ WPM seconds: 60 ms at 20 WPM, 240 ms at 5 WPM and 30 ms at 40 WPM. The player and WAV export use this standard timing.

Morse code alphabet chart

Letters, numbers and punctuation in International Morse code. Numbers are easy to learn as a pattern: each digit is five symbols long, and the count of dots or dashes follows the digit.

Frequently asked questions