Skip to content

Morse Code Encoder & Decoder

Convert text to Morse code and decode Morse back to text online. Free Morse code encoder with dot-dash output and audio playback.

Encoding / Decoding
Instant results

Morse Code Reference

0
-----
1
.----
2
..---
3
...--
4
....-
5
.....
6
-....
7
--...
8
---..
9
----.
A
.-
B
-...
C
-.-.
D
-..
E
.
F
..-.
G
--.
H
....
I
..
J
.---
K
-.-
L
.-..
M
--
N
-.
O
---
P
.--.
Q
--.-
R
.-.
S
...
T
-
U
..-
V
...-
W
.--
X
-..-
Y
-.--
Z
--..

About Morse Code Converter

Convert between text and Morse code. Morse code uses dots (·) and dashes (−) to represent letters and numbers. Click the Play button to hear the Morse code output.

How to Use Morse Code Encoder & Decoder

1

Choose direction

Pick whether you want to encode plain text into Morse or decode Morse back into text. The tool supports both directions.

2

Type or paste content

Drop in standard text or a Morse string built from dots and dashes. The tool processes the input as you type without needing a submit button.

3

View conversion

The output appears with standard separators — single spaces between letters, slashes (or triple spaces) between words.

4

Optional audio playback

Many tools include audio playback that sounds out the Morse at an adjustable speed, which is the right way to practice aural recognition.

When to Use Morse Code Encoder & Decoder

Learning and recreational practice

Anyone studying for an amateur radio exam, working on a scout merit badge, or just curious about the history of telegraphy can use the encoder and decoder to practice both directions of conversion. Drilling against a tool that always knows the right answer accelerates the early stages of learning, when getting one character wrong throws off everything that follows.

Amateur radio operators

Continuous-wave operators on the ham bands still send and receive Morse, particularly during contests and DX work where the format cuts through interference better than voice. The tool prepares messages before transmission and helps decode partial copy after the fact, which is especially useful when you are still building speed.

Puzzles and themed activities

Morse makes a fun layer in escape rooms, scavenger hunts, and educational cipher exercises. The encoding is visible enough that beginners can crack it with a chart, which keeps activities approachable while still introducing the basic ideas of substitution-based cryptography.

Aviation navigation references

Non-directional beacons in aviation broadcast a Morse identifier on a low-frequency signal, and pilots cross-check the audio against the chart to confirm they are tuned to the right station. Decoding those three- or four-letter callsigns is a skill private pilots learn early, and the tool helps with the practice runs.

Morse Code Encoder & Decoder Examples

Text to Morse

Input
SOS
Output
... --- ...

The international distress signal. The pattern is deliberately symmetric and unmistakable, which is why it has been the standard call for help since 1908 and remains universally recognizable today.

Common phrase

Input
HELLO WORLD
Output
.... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..

Each letter maps to its Morse pattern. A single space separates letters and a slash (or triple space) separates words, which is the standard convention used by every modern Morse implementation.

Decode Morse

Input
-- --- .-. ... .  -.-. --- -.. .
Output
MORSE CODE

Decoding works the same way in reverse. The tool reads the dots and dashes plus the spacing, looks up each letter in the table, and reassembles the original text.

Tips & Best Practices for Morse Code Encoder & Decoder

  • 1.International Morse is the standard everywhere now. American Morse, the older variant once used on landlines, is essentially extinct outside historical demonstrations.
  • 2.Sending speed is measured in words per minute. Beginners hover around 5 to 10 WPM, intermediate operators reach 15 to 20, and experts cruise at 25 and above. The tool's audio playback typically lets you adjust the rate as your ear improves.
  • 3.SOS is iconic precisely because the pattern is symmetric and unforgettable — three dots, three dashes, three dots. It became the international distress call in 1908 and never had reason to change.
  • 4.Spacing carries meaning. One unit between elements within a letter, three units between letters, and seven units (or a slash) between words. Inconsistent timing is what makes hand-sent Morse hard to decode.
  • 5.Operators on the air rely on shorthand to save airtime — 73 means best regards, 88 means love and kisses, CQ is a general call to any station, QTH asks for location. Learning a few of these makes Morse traffic feel less foreign.
  • 6.Pair the visual encoder with audio playback. Hearing Morse is a different skill than reading it on a page, and most successful operators built their copy speed by listening rather than staring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Both translate between plain text and Morse using the same lookup table. They live at different URLs and have slightly different UI affordances, but the underlying functionality is essentially identical. Whichever one you bookmarked first will serve fine.