Morse Code Translator
Convert text to Morse code and decode Morse back to plain text instantly.
This Morse code translator converts in both directions: type normal text and get dots and dashes, or paste Morse code and read it back as plain text. Translation happens live as you type, with letters separated by spaces and words by slashes so the output is easy to read.
Morse code encodes each letter and number as a short pattern of dots (dits) and dashes (dahs). SOS, the famous distress signal, is "... --- ...". Invented in the 1830s for the telegraph, it is still learned today by amateur radio operators, scouts, puzzle makers and anyone who enjoys hidden messages.
The translator runs fully in your browser, free and without sign-up.
How to translate Morse code
- Choose the direction: text to Morse, or Morse to text.
- Type or paste your message into the input box.
- Read the translation, which updates live as you type.
- For Morse input, separate letters with spaces and words with a slash (/).
- Copy the result to share or decode elsewhere.
Reading and writing Morse correctly
Spacing carries meaning in Morse. Within a letter, dots and dashes run together (A is .-). Letters in a word are separated by a space, and words by a longer gap, written here as " / ". So "HI YOU" becomes ".... .. / -.-- --- ..-". If a decoded message looks like gibberish, the spacing of the input is usually wrong.
Some characters have no Morse equivalent. The standard covers letters A-Z, digits 0-9 and common punctuation; emoji and most symbols are skipped rather than guessed.
Built on International Morse Code
This translator uses International Morse Code, the modern standard used by amateur radio operators and taught worldwide. It is worth knowing that an older American Morse existed and encoded some letters differently, so a chart from a nineteenth-century telegraph office will not always match what you see here.
Sticking to the international standard means the dots and dashes you generate are the same ones another operator or hobbyist anywhere would recognise. When you decode a message from a reliable source, it should map cleanly to text, because both sides are working from the same agreed set of patterns.
Translated live in your browser
Both directions of the Morse code translator run in JavaScript on the page. As you type text, the tool looks up each letter and prints its dot-and-dash pattern; as you paste Morse, it reads the spacing and reassembles the letters, updating the moment you change the input with no server request in between.
Because the whole lookup lives in the browser, translation is instant and keeps working with your connection off once the page has loaded. There is no limit on how much you convert, so you can run long messages in either direction without waiting.
Your messages stay on your device
Nothing you type or paste is uploaded or logged. The conversion between text and Morse happens locally, so a private message you are encoding, or a mystery signal you are decoding, never leaves your browser and is not stored anywhere.
With no account and no history, closing the tab clears your work. If you want to keep a translation, copy it out yourself, because the tool is designed to remember nothing between visits.
How people use Morse today
Morse code is far from obsolete. Amateur radio operators still send it because a faint signal in dots and dashes can get through when voice cannot, and it remains part of many licensing traditions. Scouts, puzzle designers and escape-room builders use it to hide clues, and it appears in games and geocaches as a light code to crack.
It also has a quiet accessibility role: some assistive devices let people input text as long and short signals, and the famous SOS pattern is still a recognisable emergency call that can be flashed with a light or tapped on a pipe. Learning even a little Morse turns a translator like this into a genuinely practical tool.
Practice tips for learning Morse
The most effective way to learn is little and often rather than trying to memorise the whole alphabet at once. Write a short word, generate its Morse, then cover the text and read the pattern back; when that feels easy, reverse the drill by decoding Morse into text so you train both directions.
Experienced operators recommend learning by the sound and rhythm of each letter, thinking in dits and dahs rather than counting individual dots on a page. A dash lasts about three times as long as a dot, and internalising that timing early makes real-off-air Morse much easier to follow later.
Spacing mistakes and unsupported characters
Almost every decoding problem comes down to spacing, because in Morse the gaps carry meaning. Run two letters together with no space and they merge into a different letter, and forget the slash between words and a whole sentence collapses into one long string. If a decoded message looks like nonsense, check the spacing of the input before anything else.
The other limit is coverage. International Morse defines letters, digits and a set of common punctuation marks, but it has no patterns for emoji or unusual symbols, so this translator skips those characters rather than inventing codes for them. Keep your input to standard text and punctuation and everything round-trips cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Morse code translator free?
Yes, free and unlimited in both directions, with no account needed.
How do I write SOS in Morse code?
SOS is "... --- ...": three dots, three dashes, three dots. It was chosen as the distress signal because the pattern is simple and unmistakable, not as an abbreviation.
How do I separate words when typing Morse?
Separate each letter with a single space and each word with a slash. For example, "-- .." is MI, while "-- / .." is the two words "M I".
Does it support numbers and punctuation?
Yes. Digits 0-9 and common punctuation such as the period, comma and question mark all have standard Morse patterns and translate in both directions.
Can I use this to learn Morse code?
Yes, it works well for practice. Write words, check your Morse against the translation, then reverse the exercise by decoding Morse back to text. Little and often beats cramming the whole alphabet.
Are dots and dashes the same as dits and dahs?
Yes. Radio operators say "dit" for a dot and "dah" for a dash because that is how they sound when transmitted. A dash lasts three times as long as a dot.
Is anything I type sent to a server?
No. Translation is pure JavaScript running in your browser, so your messages stay on your device.