Decode Morse code
Paste or type Morse code in the box and the text appears below it as you go. The decoder is forgiving about the way the code is written:
- Dots can be a period (.) or the characters · and •.
- Dashes can be a hyphen (-), an underscore (_) or the characters − and the long dashes.
- Letters are separated by a single space.
- Words are separated by a slash (/) or a vertical bar (|) or by three or more spaces.
- Each line of Morse code becomes a line of text.
When something does not decode
A group of dots and dashes that is not in the Morse table is shown as a question mark, and the number of unknown signals is listed under the result. The most common causes are:
- Missing spaces. Without a space between letters, two letters run together into a signal that does not exist.
- Extra or missing dots. One wrong dot changes a letter, for example .- is A, but ..- is U.
- The wrong word separator. A single space between words is read as a letter break, so the words join together. Use a slash.
Prosigns
The distress signal ...---... is sent without breaks and shows as <SOS>. Eight dots in a row, the error signal, shows as <ERR>.
Listen to the code
You can also press Play to hear the Morse code you pasted. That helps to check that it sounds right, or to practise by ear. Set the speed in words per minute and the tone you like.
To make Morse code from text, use text to Morse. The Morse code translator does both at once, and the guide to Morse code has the complete chart.