Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and back. Play it as audio. Full ITU alphabet.
Encode text to Morse code and decode Morse back to text. Play the result as audio at any WPM. Free, offline, runs in your browser. Read more Show less
What is Morse code?
Morse code is a method of encoding text as a series of on-off tones, clicks, or flashes. Each letter, digit, and punctuation mark maps to a unique sequence of dots (short signals) and dashes (long signals). It was developed in the 1830s for the electric telegraph and standardized internationally by the ITU in 1865.
It is no longer used for commercial communication, but it is still required for amateur radio licenses, used in aviation (VOR navigation beacons identify themselves in Morse), embedded in emergency equipment (EPIRB beacons), and loved by hobbyists and puzzle enthusiasts. It is one of the few communication methods that works with a single wire, a flashlight, or a mirror.
How to use
Choose the mode (Encode or Decode). Type or paste into the input, and the output updates live.
Encoding: text goes in, Morse comes out. Each letter is separated by a space, each word by a slash (/) or three spaces by convention.
Decoding: Morse goes in, text comes out. Any run of whitespace between letters is treated as a letter separator, and a slash (/) or three-or-more spaces is treated as a word separator.
The alphabet
| Letter | Code | Letter | Code | Letter | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | .- | J | .--- | S | ... |
| B | -... | K | -.- | T | - |
| C | -.-. | L | .-.. | U | ..- |
| D | -.. | M | -- | V | ...- |
| E | . | N | -. | W | .-- |
| F | ..-. | O | --- | X | -..- |
| G | --. | P | .--. | Y | -.-- |
| H | .... | Q | --.- | Z | --.. |
| I | .. | R | .-. |
Numbers: 0 = -----, 1 = .----, 2 = ..---, 3 = ...--, 4 = ....-, 5 = ....., 6 = -...., 7 = --..., 8 = ---.., 9 = ----.
Common punctuation: period .-.-.-, comma --..--, question ..--.., slash -..-., hyphen -....-, colon ---..., apostrophe .----., parentheses -.--. and -.--.-.
Timing
Morse is defined by relative timing, measured in "dits" (the length of one dot):
Dot - 1 unit on. Dash - 3 units on. Gap between signals in a character - 1 unit off. Gap between characters - 3 units off. Gap between words - 7 units off.
The speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). A common standard is 20 WPM for beginners and 25-30 WPM for experienced operators. This tool lets you play the Morse as audio at any WPM.
FAQ
Is Morse code still used?
Yes, in several niches: amateur radio (still required for some licenses), aviation (VOR beacons identify themselves in Morse), maritime emergency beacons (EPIRB), and military signaling. It is also popular in scouting, puzzle solving, and among preppers as a low-tech communication method.
What does SOS look like in Morse?
... --- ... - three dots, three dashes, three dots. It was chosen because it is simple to transmit and recognize, not because it stands for "Save Our Souls" (that is a backronym).
Can Morse be used with light or touch?
Yes. Morse is fundamentally about timing, not about the medium. Lighthouse flashes, mirror flashes, flashlight signals, taps, and even blinking are all valid ways to send Morse. The International Morse Code is the same regardless of medium.
Why do some letters look like they are reversed?
They often are. The codes were assigned based on how frequently each letter appears in English - common letters got short codes. E (most common) is a single dot, T is a single dash, A and I are two-signal codes, and so on. Less common letters like Q and Z have longer codes.
What is the difference between International Morse and American Morse?
American Morse (used on landline telegraphs) had different codes for several letters and used spaces inside some characters. International Morse (also called Continental Morse) is what the ITU standardized and what everyone uses today. This tool uses International Morse.
How do I write Morse if I cannot type dots and dashes?
You can use any two distinct symbols. Common alternatives: . and ?, or . and -, or * and ?. When decoding, this tool accepts any two characters that are consistently used as dot and dash.
Does the audio playback actually sound like Morse?
Yes. It uses a sine wave at 700 Hz (the standard tone used by most amateur radio operators) with the correct relative timing. You can adjust the WPM and the tone frequency. Copying Morse by ear is a skill that takes weeks to develop - if you can read what you hear, you are doing real Morse.
Command line equivalent
# Python
python3 -c 'from morse import encode, decode; print(encode("hello world"))'
# (install with: pip install morse-talk or similar)
# Node
npm i morse-code
node -e 'const m = require("morse-code"); console.log(m.encode("hello"))'
# Command line (Linux)
echo "hello world" | morse
# (varies by distribution)
# Play as sound (macOS)
# Use this tool for browser-based playback - much more flexible.Audio playback
Click the play button in the output header to hear the Morse. Standard tone is 700 Hz. Speed of 20 WPM is a common default; 5 WPM is beginner, 30+ is experienced.