Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and back, then play it as authentic beeps. International Morse timing, swap direction, copy — all in your browser.
Standard International Morse timing — a dash is 3× a dot, letters are separated by a space, words by /. Audio plays at ~600 Hz.
What is Morse code?
Morse code encodes letters and numbers as sequences of short signals (dots, “dit”) and long signals (dashes, “dah”). Devised by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in the 1830s–40s for the telegraph, it let a single on/off line carry text — and it still works over light, sound, radio or a tap of a finger.
The famous distress signal SOS (... --- ...) was chosen not as an abbreviation but because it's unmistakable and easy to send under stress.
The timing rules
Morse isn't just dots and dashes — the gaps carry as much meaning. Everything is measured in one base unit (the dot):
- Dot = 1 unit · Dash = 3 units.
- Gap between parts of the same letter = 1 unit.
- Gap between letters = 3 units (shown here as a space).
- Gap between words = 7 units (shown here as
/).
Using this tool
Type text to get Morse, or paste Morse (dots, dashes, spaces and / for word breaks) to decode it. Swap flips the direction using the current result. Play Morse sounds it out with correct timing — the classic way to learn is by ear, not by reading the dots.
Still used today
Amateur radio operators still use Morse (CW) because it punches through noise at very low power. Aviation and marine navigation beacons identify themselves in Morse. It's an accessibility input method for people with limited mobility, and a survival signalling skill — a flashlight or whistle can spell SOS when nothing else works.