Codes / 01
Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and Morse code back to text, then play it as sound and light at the speed you choose or download it as a WAV file.
Morse Code Translator: The page uses the International Morse code table in ITU-R M.1677-1, the Recommendation that defines it, including its punctuation, accented é, and its rule for the percent sign. Sound and light follow the Recommendation's timing: a dash is three dots long, the gap inside a letter is one dot, between letters three, and between words seven, with the dot length set by the speed. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
- Category
- Text tools
- Runs
- In your browser
- Cost
- Free · no sign-up
- Availability
- Ready to use
Runs entirely in your browser
Type in either box. In Morse, separate letters with a space and words with a slash (/).
Learning to hear it
Morse is easiest to learn as sound rather than as dots and dashes on a page: each letter has a rhythm, and counting dots slows you down. Many learners use the Farnsworth method, sending each letter at full speed with longer gaps between letters, then closing the gaps as their recognition improves. Start with a handful of letters, such as E, T, A, N, I, and M, and add more once those come without thinking.
The light in the player flashes with the sound, which is how Morse was sent between ships with signal lamps. Mute your speakers and try to read the light alone at a slow speed.
What the international table includes
ITU-R M.1677-1 defines the 26 letters, é, the ten digits, and punctuation: full stop, comma, colon, question mark, apostrophe, hyphen, slash, brackets, quotation marks, the equals-style double hyphen, plus, and @, which was added in 2004. A percent sign is sent as 0/0, and the multiplication sign as the letter X. Other accented letters are sent as their plain letter here, and characters outside the table, such as ! or &, are listed rather than sent. To encode text for computers rather than people, text to hex and Base64 are the usual choices.
How to use it
- Type text in one box, or Morse code in the other: each translates into the other as you type.
- Set the speed in words per minute.
- Play it as sound and a flashing light, download the sound, or copy either side.
Privacy & limitations
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I write Morse code for the translator?
Use a full stop or a bullet for a dot and a hyphen for a dash, put a space between letters, and a slash between words, as in .... .. / - .... . .-. . for HI THERE. Three or more spaces also count as a word break.
What does words per minute mean in Morse?
Speed is measured with the word PARIS, which takes exactly 50 dot lengths including the gap after it. At 20 WPM a dot lasts 60 milliseconds. Learners often start between 5 and 15 WPM; experienced operators work at 20 to 30 and beyond.
Why were some characters left out?
International Morse code has no signal for them. The ITU table covers the letters, é, the digits, and a set of punctuation; marks such as ! and & are only in older American or unofficial variants, so they are skipped and listed rather than sent with a guess.
What is SOS in Morse code?
Three dots, three dashes, three dots: ... --- ..., sent as one unbroken signal. It was chosen because it is easy to send and hard to mistake, not because the letters stand for anything.
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