Separate letters with spaces, words with 3 spaces or " / "
Ready to decode
Paste Morse code and click Translate// translate dot-dash sequences into readable text
Decode Morse code sequences into readable text instantly. Translate dot-dash patterns (... --- ...) to ASCII characters free in your browser.
Ready to decode
Paste Morse code and click TranslateEnter dots and dashes separated by spaces. Use 3 spaces or " / " between words.
Toggle between Morse→Text decode or Text→Morse encode mode.
Get your decoded text instantly. Copy the result with one click.
This tool translates standard International Morse Code sequences into readable ASCII text and vice versa. It supports the full alphabet (A–Z), digits (0–9), and common punctuation using the ITU standard dot-dash patterns.
Separate individual Morse characters (letters) with a single space. Separate words with three consecutive spaces or with " / " (space-slash-space). For example: ... --- ... .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. decodes to "SOS WORLD".
This tool supports the full A–Z alphabet, digits 0–9, and common punctuation including period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, apostrophe, parentheses, colon, semicolon, equals sign, plus, hyphen, underscore, quotation marks, at sign, and forward slash.
A question mark in the decoded output means the tool encountered a Morse sequence it couldn't match to any known character. This typically means a typo, unsupported character, or a non-standard Morse extension. Check the "Unknown sequences" warning for details.
Yes! Toggle the mode to "Text → Morse" using the buttons above the input. Type or paste any plain text and the tool will output the corresponding dot-dash Morse sequences with proper spacing.
Yes. SOS in Morse is ... --- ... which decodes correctly to "SOS". The tool uses standard ITU Morse code, the same international standard used in maritime and aviation communications.
Once the page is loaded, all translation happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. No data is sent to any server during the conversion — it works fully offline after the initial page load.
Morse code to text translation is the process of converting dot-and-dash sequences — the visual or audible representation of Morse code — back into readable human language. Developed in the 1830s by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail, Morse code became one of the most important communication systems in history, enabling long-distance telegraphy over wire and later radio transmission across oceans.
Every letter of the alphabet, every digit, and many punctuation marks has a unique pattern of dots (short signals) and dashes (long signals). A trained operator can tap out or listen to these patterns and transcribe them in real time. Our free online decoder automates this entire process — paste in a Morse sequence and get the readable text in under a second.
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The version of Morse code used globally today is International Morse Code (also called Continental Morse Code), standardized by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union). It differs slightly from the original American Morse Code, which used different patterns and included characters no longer in common use.
In International Morse Code:
When typed as text, this translates to: dots represented as ., dashes as -, letter gaps as single spaces, and word gaps as three or more spaces (or /).
Reading a Morse sequence manually requires recognizing each character pattern. Some common ones are easy to remember: . = E (the shortest — one dot), - = T (one dash), ... = S (three dots), --- = O (three dashes). From these you can already recognize SOS: ... --- ....
Longer sequences take more practice. .- = A, -... = B, -.-. = C, and so on through the alphabet. Numbers use five-element sequences: ----- = 0, .---- = 1, up to ----. = 9.
Our tool includes a built-in reference table so you can look up any character while you work. Click "Show Morse Reference" below the output to see the full table.
Amateur (Ham) Radio: Morse code — also called CW (Continuous Wave) — is still widely used in amateur radio. Many ham operators transmit and receive CW daily, and a decoder helps beginners transcribe transmissions before their ear is fully trained.
Historical Research: Millions of historical telegraph messages, wartime dispatches, and maritime records were originally transmitted in Morse code. Decoding them requires either a trained operator or a tool like this one.
Education and Training: Morse code remains a fascinating subject in schools and maker communities. Tools like this help students check their encoding exercises and practice translating sequences.
Puzzles and Escape Rooms: Morse code is extremely popular in puzzle design — from ARGs (alternate reality games) to physical escape rooms. Encountering a string of dots and dashes is now a well-known puzzle trope, and a fast online decoder is essential.
Creative Projects: Writers, artists, tattoo designers, and jewelry makers sometimes encode messages in Morse for aesthetic purposes. This tool helps verify the encoding before committing it to a permanent medium.
The most common issue when decoding Morse code manually typed as text is inconsistent spacing. The tool expects:
/ — between separate words.If your decoded output contains unexpected ? characters, check for typos in the Morse sequences or inconsistent spacing. The error panel will highlight unknown sequences so you can pinpoint exactly where the issue is.
Also note that Morse code is case-insensitive on decode: .- always produces the letter A regardless of your original text. When encoding, all text is automatically converted to uppercase since Morse has no lowercase letters.
While Morse code is no longer required for maritime radio licensing (it was de-listed by the ITU in 1999), it has enjoyed a remarkable cultural revival. Many countries still require Morse proficiency for certain amateur radio license classes. The military and aviation sectors retain familiarity with it. And of course, the SOS distress signal remains universally recognized.
Modern uses extend into accessibility technology — Morse code can be typed using two inputs (dot and dash), making it one of the most accessible text input methods for people with motor disabilities. Google introduced Morse code support in its Gboard keyboard specifically for this reason.