Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and Morse code to text. Supports letters, numbers, and punctuation.
Text
Morse Code
Format: Letters separated by spaces, words separated by " / ". Example: .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..
Morse Code: The Original Digital Communication
Before the internet, before telephones, there was Morse code. Invented in the 1830s for use with the electric telegraph, it encodes letters as sequences of short signals (dots) and long signals (dashes). "SOS" — three dots, three dashes, three dots — is probably the most recognised Morse sequence in the world.
Morse code was the first practical system for long-distance electronic communication. It dominated global communications for over a century and wasn't officially retired from maritime use until 1999. Today it's still used in amateur radio, aviation (NDB identifiers), and accessibility technology. Some people even use it to communicate through blinks or taps when speech isn't possible.
This translator converts any text to International Morse Code and back. Letters are separated by spaces, words by " / ". It handles all 26 letters, 10 digits, and common punctuation marks.
Complete Morse Code Reference
| Character | Morse | Character | Morse | Character | Morse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | --.. | ? | ..--.. |
What this means for you: Notice that the most common English letters have the shortest codes — E is a single dot, T is a single dash. Samuel Morse designed the code around letter frequency to make transmission faster. It's essentially an early form of data compression.
Morse Code Timing Rules
Signal timing
A dot is 1 unit. A dash is 3 units. The gap between parts of a letter is 1 unit. The gap between letters is 3 units. The gap between words is 7 units. Standard speed is about 20 words per minute for experienced operators.
SOS distress signal
... --- ... (three dots, three dashes, three dots) was chosen as the international distress signal in 1906. It wasn't chosen because it stands for "Save Our Souls" — that's a backronym. It was chosen because it's distinctive and easy to recognise even in poor conditions.
Modern uses
Amateur radio operators still use Morse code (called "CW" for continuous wave). Aviation NDB beacons identify themselves in Morse. Some Android keyboards support Morse input for accessibility. And it's a popular topic in computer science education.
Learning to decode by ear
Experienced operators don't translate letter by letter — they recognise whole words and phrases by their rhythm, like listening to a language. The Koch method teaches Morse at full speed from the start, adding one character at a time.
Famous Messages in Morse
| Message | Morse Code | Context |
|---|---|---|
| SOS | ... --- ... | International distress signal since 1906 |
| CQD | -.-. --.- -.. | Original distress call — sent by the Titanic |
| 73 | --... ...-- | Ham radio shorthand for "best regards" |
| 88 | ---.. ---.. | Ham radio shorthand for "love and kisses" |
| CQ | -.-. --.- | "Calling any station" — general call to all |
What this means for you: Morse code has its own abbreviations and culture, much like modern texting shorthand. Ham radio operators use dozens of numeric codes (called "Q codes" and "Z codes") as shorthand for common phrases.
Related Tools
How to use this tool
Choose the direction: Text to Morse or Morse to Text
Type or paste your input in the left panel
Copy the translated output from the right panel
Common uses
- Encoding messages for amateur radio communication
- Solving Morse code CTF challenges and puzzles
- Learning the Morse alphabet interactively
- Creating Morse-themed designs and artworks
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