Morse Code Translator
Translate in both directions on one page.
Updated 12 Aug 2026
3 characters · converts on your device as you type
Morse code
Letters separated by spaces, words by a slash.
... --- ...
About the Morse Code Translator
Type words and the Morse appears; paste dots and dashes instead and the decoded text appears in its place: there is no mode to switch.
This uses the ITU international standard: letters separated by a single space, words separated by a slash. Characters the ITU never defined are left out rather than invented, because a made-up code is one no other translator could read back. Pasted middots and en dashes are accepted too, since that is what copying Morse from elsewhere usually gives you.
Step by step
How to use the Morse Code Translator
Type text to convert it, or paste a converted value to turn it back. The results update as you type, with no button to press.
Enter your text
Type or paste into the input. Conversion happens live.
Read the labelled results
Each result is labelled with what it is. This tool works both ways: type plain text to encode it, or paste an already-converted value to decode it, and only the results that apply to what you typed are shown.
Copy what you need
Press Copy on the result you want. It goes to your clipboard exactly as shown.
Paste it
Paste it wherever you need it. The output is plain text, so it works anywhere you can type.
Get it right
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Paste Morse copied from elsewhere (middots and en dashes instead of periods and hyphens) and the decoder still accepts it: the tool recognises both forms, so you do not need to manually swap characters before pasting.
- Use a slash to separate words when writing Morse by hand: a single space separates letters, a slash separates words. Without the slash, "so" and "s o" look the same in written Morse and the decoder will treat the whole string as one word.
- Numbers have Morse codes too: 1 is .----, 2 is ..--- and so on, each with five elements, which makes them easy to spot in a decoded string because they always appear in groups of five.
Common mistakes
- Separating letters with anything other than a space: the ITU standard uses a single space between letters and a slash between words. Two spaces, a comma, or a hyphen between letters will cause the decoder to misread or skip the characters.
- Expecting Morse for symbols and punctuation not in the ITU standard: common punctuation like the period (.-.-.-) and comma (--..--) are defined, but many symbols are not, and invented codes for them would not be readable by any other translator.
- Assuming the output is always fully recoverable: some characters the decoder sees as identical differ only by context. If you are decoding an ambiguous string, check the original source rather than treating the decoded text as certain.
Keep going
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is SOS in Morse code?
Three dots, three dashes, three dots: ... --- ... . It was chosen because that pattern is unmistakable and easy to send under pressure, not because the letters stand for anything. The phrase "save our ship" was attached to it afterwards.
Why do words have a slash between them?
In written Morse a single space separates letters, so words need a stronger separator or "sos" and "s o s" would look identical. A slash is the usual convention; when sending by sound or light the equivalent is a longer pause.
Can it translate Morse back into text?
Yes. Paste Morse into the box and the decoded row appears automatically: the page detects that the input is dots and dashes rather than letters. Separate letters with spaces and words with a slash for the cleanest result.
Is the Morse Code Translator free to use?
Yes. The Morse Code Translator is completely free with no sign-up, no watermarks, and no limits on how much text you convert or how many times you copy it.