Morse Code Translator
Convert text to Morse code or decode Morse back to text.
Morse Code Reference Chart
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Request a ToolHow to Use the Morse Code Translator
Select the direction, type or paste your input, and the output updates live. Click Play Audio to hear the Morse code played through your device's speakers.
- Text to Morse: Enter any text. Letters are converted to dots (.) and dashes (-). A single space separates letters within a word. A forward slash (/) separates words.
- Morse to Text: Enter Morse code with letters separated by single spaces and words separated by " / ". The tool decodes it back to plain text.
- Audio playback: Click Play Audio to hear the code at 20 words per minute (standard training speed). This uses the Web Audio API in your browser. No plugin required.
About Morse Code
Morse code was developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in the 1830s and 1840s for use with the electric telegraph. It encodes letters and digits as sequences of dots (short signals) and dashes (long signals, three times the length of a dot). The interval between letters is three dots long, and the interval between words is seven dots long. International Morse Code (ITU) was standardized in 1865 and is still used today in amateur radio, aviation, and maritime distress signaling (SOS: ... --- ...).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SOS in Morse code?
SOS in Morse code is "... --- ..." (three dots, three dashes, three dots). It was chosen as the international distress signal in 1906 because it is simple, distinctive, and easy to recognize. SOS does not officially stand for any phrase, but "Save Our Souls" and "Save Our Ship" are popular backronyms. It replaced the earlier distress signal CQD used by Marconi operators.
How do I decode Morse code in this tool?
Switch the Direction to "Morse to Text". Enter your Morse code using dots (.) and dashes (-). Separate individual letters with a single space. Separate words with " / " (space, slash, space). For example, ".... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.." decodes to "HELLO WORLD". Unknown codes are shown as a question mark.
What characters does Morse code support?
International Morse Code supports all 26 letters of the Latin alphabet (A-Z), digits 0-9, and a set of punctuation marks including period, comma, question mark, apostrophe, exclamation mark, slash, parentheses, ampersand, colon, semicolon, equals sign, plus sign, minus/hyphen, underscore, double quote, dollar sign, and at sign. Accented characters from non-English languages have their own codes but are not included in this translator.
What speed is Morse code typically sent at?
Morse code speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). Beginners typically start at 5 WPM. The US amateur radio technician license requires copying at 0 WPM (no code requirement since 2007). Commercial operators traditionally needed 20 WPM. Expert operators can send and receive 30-40 WPM or faster. The audio playback in this tool uses 20 WPM, which is a good learning speed. One standard "word" is PARIS (50 elements), so 20 WPM equals 1000 elements per minute.