Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code or Morse code back to text as you type, then listen to it at the speed you choose. Letters are separated by a space and words by a slash, the way most Morse decoders expect.
What is Morse code?
Morse code writes each letter, digit and punctuation mark as a short pattern of two signals: a short dot (often said “dit”) and a long dash (“dah”). It was developed for the electric telegraph in the 1830s and 1840s, and the version used today is International Morse Code, defined by the ITU in Recommendation ITU-R M.1677-1. Radio amateurs still use it every day, and it remains a handy way to signal with a torch, a whistle or a tap when speech is impossible.
Because the signal is only on or off, Morse can be sent with light, sound or touch. This translator shows it as text and plays it as a tone with the standard timing, so you can hear what a message sounds like.
How to use the translator
- Type or paste into the left box. Ordinary text is translated to Morse; a box of only dots, dashes, spaces and slashes is read as Morse and translated back. Pick a fixed Direction if you want to override the detection.
- The right box updates on every keystroke. Use Copy or Download to keep the result, or Swap to move it into the input.
- Press Play sound to hear the Morse. Speed sets words per minute and Tone the pitch of the beep.
How Morse is written and timed
Everything in Morse is measured in one unit, the length of a dot:
| Element | Length | How this tool writes it |
|---|---|---|
| Dot | 1 unit on | . |
| Dash | 3 units on | - |
| Gap inside a letter | 1 unit off | nothing: .- is A |
| Gap between letters | 3 units off | a space: .- -... is AB |
| Gap between words | 7 units off | / : .- / -... is A B |
Speed in words per minute uses the word PARIS as a yardstick: it is exactly 50 units long including the gap after it. One unit therefore lasts 1200 ÷ WPM milliseconds: 80 ms at 15 WPM and 60 ms at 20 WPM.
Morse code alphabet
| Letter | Code | Letter | Code | Digit | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | .- | N | -. | 0 | ----- |
| B | -... | O | --- | 1 | .---- |
| C | -.-. | P | .--. | 2 | ..--- |
| D | -.. | Q | --.- | 3 | ...-- |
| E | . | R | .-. | 4 | ....- |
| F | ..-. | S | ... | 5 | ..... |
| G | --. | T | - | 6 | -.... |
| H | .... | U | ..- | 7 | --... |
| I | .. | V | ...- | 8 | ---.. |
| J | .--- | W | .-- | 9 | ----. |
| K | -.- | X | -..- | ||
| L | .-.. | Y | -.-- | ||
| M | -- | Z | --.. |
Punctuation from the ITU standard is supported too: . , ? ' - / ( ) " : = + @. The widely used extras ! & ; _ $ are not part of the ITU list but are understood by most amateur radio software, so they are translated as well. Accented letters are sent without their accent (É becomes E).
Worked examples
| Text | Morse code |
|---|---|
| SOS | ... --- ... |
| HELLO WORLD | .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. |
| CQ | -.-. --.- |
| 73 | --... ...-- |
Strictly, the distress signal SOS is sent as one continuous pattern, ...---..., without the letter gaps. Written with gaps, as above, it reads as the three letters S, O, S, which is how most people type it. CQ is a general call to any station, and 73 means “best regards” among radio amateurs.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Decoded text is one long word | Words were separated by single spaces only. | Separate words with /, or with three or more spaces. |
A # appears in the text | That dot-dash group is not a known character, often because two letters ran together. | Check the spacing around the group; one space ends a letter. |
| Dashes from a document are not recognised | Word processors turn hyphens into en or em dashes, and some fonts use the middle dot. | Nothing to do: – — _ · • are converted to dots and dashes automatically. |
| No sound on a phone | The silent switch is on, or the browser blocks audio until you tap. | Turn the ringer on and press Play again. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I translate Morse code to English?
Paste the dots and dashes into the left box. Put one space between letters and a slash (or three spaces) between words; the English text appears on the right straight away.
What does SOS look like in Morse code?
Three dots, three dashes, three dots: ...---.... It was chosen because it is easy to send and recognise, not because the letters stand for words.
What speed should I use to learn Morse?
Many teachers recommend hearing each letter at 15 to 20 WPM from the start, so you learn its rhythm instead of counting dots, and leaving longer gaps between letters while you are slow to recognise them.
Is Morse code case-sensitive?
No. Morse has a single set of letters, so Hello and HELLO give the same code, and decoded text is shown in capitals.
Is my text sent anywhere?
No. The translation and the sound are produced by JavaScript and the Web Audio API in your browser; nothing you type is uploaded.