Morse Code Translator
Translate text into morse code, or decode morse back into letters. Letters are separated by spaces and words by a slash, the standard way morse is written.
How morse code works
Morse code represents each letter and number as a pattern of short signals (dots) and long signals (dashes), invented for the telegraph in the 1830s and still used by radio amateurs, pilots and the military today. Written morse uses one space between letters and a slash with spaces between words, which is the format this translator uses.
SOS: the code everyone knows
The distress signal SOS is three dots, three dashes, three dots (... --- ...). It was chosen because it is unmistakable and easy to send, not because it stands for words. Other famous signals include CQ (calling any station) and 73 (best regards) among radio operators.
Common questions
How are words separated in morse code?
With a slash surrounded by spaces, like this: .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -... (hello world). This translator follows that standard when it encodes and decodes.
Can this translate morse from audio or light flashes?
No: it works with written dots and dashes that you type or paste. For audio, free morse decoder apps listen through the microphone.
Why did some of my characters disappear?
Morse code only covers A-Z, 0-9 and common punctuation. Other characters are skipped when encoding.