Morse Code Translator

Translate text to Morse code and Morse code back to text — instantly and for free.

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💡 Tip: In Morse code, separate letters with a single space and words with a forward slash /. Unsupported characters are ignored.

What is Morse Code?

Morse code is a method of encoding text characters as standardised sequences of two different signal durations: short signals called dots (·) and longer signals called dashes (—). It was developed in the 1830s and 1840s for use with the electric telegraph and is still used today in amateur radio, aviation, and emergency signalling.

International Morse code defines codes for the 26 Latin letters, the digits 0–9, and a small set of punctuation and procedural symbols.

Morse Code Alphabet

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 — — · ·
0 — — — — —
1 · — — — —
2 · · — — —
3 · · · — —
4 · · · · —
5 · · · · ·
6 — · · · ·
7 — — · · ·
8 — — — · ·
9 — — — — ·

Spacing & Timing Rules

  • A dash is three times the length of a dot.
  • The gap between dots and dashes within a single letter is one dot length.
  • The gap between letters is three dot lengths.
  • The gap between words is seven dot lengths — written as a forward slash / in text.

Example:

Plain text: HELLO WORLD
Morse code: .... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..

SOS & Common Phrases

Notable patterns:

  • SOS = ... --- ... — the international distress signal, chosen for being unmistakable, not as an abbreviation.
  • CQ = -.-. --.- — a general call to any station, used in amateur radio.
  • 73 = --... ...-- — “best regards” in radio operator shorthand.

History of Morse Code

Morse code was developed by Samuel Morse, Joseph Henry, and Alfred Vail starting in 1836 to enable long-distance communication over the electric telegraph. The first commercial telegraph line opened in 1844 with the famous message “What hath God wrought”.

The original American Morse code was later refined into the International Morse code (also called Continental Morse) in 1865. That standardised version is what every modern Morse code translator — including this one — uses.

Although telegraph networks have largely been replaced by digital communication, Morse code remains in use today by amateur radio operators, aviation navigation aids, and as a fallback signalling method in emergencies.