Sound and speed settings
Set Overall speed lower than Speed to add extra space between letters and words. Learners find this easier.
How to use the translator
- Type or paste. Choose Text → Morse or Morse → Text, then type in the first box. If you paste Morse code while in text mode (or text in Morse mode), the translator switches direction for you. The swap button turns the result back into input.
- Watch the signal. The panel under the boxes draws your message as a signal, high for every dot and dash, with each letter labelled underneath. A question mark means a code that matches no letter.
- Play it. Press Play to hear the message. The lamp flashes with each signal, and a line moves along the signal to show the letter being sent.
- Save or share. Copy the code, download it as a WAV audio file, or share a link that opens with your message already translated.
Examples
Select an example to load it into the translator.
| Text | Morse code | Load into translator |
|---|---|---|
| SOS | ... --- ... | |
| Hello | .... . .-.. .-.. --- | |
| I love you | .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- | |
| Help | .... . .-.. .--. | |
| Thank you | - .... .- -. -.- / -.-- --- ..- | |
| What hath God wrought | .-- .... .- - / .... .- - .... / --. --- -.. / .-- .-. --- ..- --. .... - |
How the translator reads Morse code
Morse code only works if the gaps are right, so the decoder follows a few simple rules.
- Letters are separated by one space:
.... ..is HI. - Words are separated by a slash
/, a vertical bar|, a new line, or three or more spaces:.... .. / - .... . .-. .is HI THERE. - Dots can be typed as
.·or•. Dashes can be typed as-_–or—. This matters because many people write Morse with underscores, like_._ _ _, and most translators cannot read that. - Unknown codes are marked in red, shown as a question mark on the signal, and listed under the boxes so you can fix them. Usually a space is missing or one too many.
When you translate text into Morse code, any character that has no Morse equivalent (such as #, % or an emoji) is left out, and the translator tells you exactly which ones.
Prosigns
Some signals are sent as one unbroken run with no gap between letters. The best known is SOS, ...---.... To send one from the text box, write it in angle brackets, like <SOS>. The supported prosigns are listed on the Morse code alphabet page.
Speed and sound settings
Open Sound and speed settings under the signal to change how the message plays.
- Character speed (WPM) sets how fast each letter is sent, in words per minute. Morse speed is measured with the standard word PARIS: at 20 WPM one dot lasts 60 milliseconds.
- Overall speed (Farnsworth) adds extra space between letters and words while keeping each letter at full speed. Learners use it so they hear letters as complete sounds instead of counting dots. Set it lower than the character speed to turn it on.
- Tone sets the pitch. Most operators like something between 500 and 800 Hz.
- Light flashes the lamp in time with the sound. Vibrate pulses the phone on devices that support it (most Android phones).
Your settings are remembered on this device.
Frequently asked questions
What does the translator support?
The translator follows the International Morse Code standard, ITU-R M.1677-1: the letters A–Z, the numbers 0–9, and the punctuation . , : ? ' - / ( ) " = + @. It also supports ! ; _ $ &, which are widely used but not part of the ITU standard, a few accented letters, and common prosigns.
Is my message sent anywhere?
No. Translation and sound happen in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored by this site. If you use Share link, the message is placed in the link itself, so only people you send the link to can see it.
Can it translate Morse code from audio or a picture?
Not yet. This page translates typed or pasted Morse code. To work out a recording by ear, slow it down and write the dots and dashes, then paste them here. Our guide to reading Morse code explains how.
What is the difference between International and American Morse code?
International Morse code is the version used worldwide today, and the one this translator uses. American Morse code was used on early North American telegraph lines and has different codes for several letters plus some longer gaps. You can read more in What is Morse code?