About Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code and back. Play sound, copy results. Free, no sign-up required.
How to use
- Type plain text into the upper Text textarea. As you type, the lower Morse Code box updates live — letters become dot-dash sequences, spaces become forward slashes (/) for word breaks.
- Or type Morse into the lower textarea using dots (.) and dashes (-) separated by single spaces between letters and ' / ' between words. The upper Text box decodes back to plain text in real time.
- Tap the Play Sound button to hear the Morse audibly. The tool generates 700 Hz tones following the standard 1:3:1:3:7 timing ratio (dot length, dash length, intra-letter gap, inter-letter gap, inter-word gap) — the same timing used in amateur radio practice tools.
- Use the Copy Morse and Copy Text buttons to grab either side for pasting into a chat, email, ham log, or homework answer. Copy uses the standard clipboard API so it works in any modern browser.
- Letters not in the International Morse alphabet (accented characters, most punctuation outside . , ? ! / ( ) + - = @ &) drop silently rather than producing garbage output. Stick to A-Z, 0-9, and supported punctuation for clean encoding.
- Use ' / ' (space-slash-space) between Morse-encoded words. The decoder treats single spaces as letter separators, so 'HELLO WORLD' becomes '.... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..' — letters spaced inside each word, slash between words.
Examples
SOS distress signal
SOS encodes as '... --- ...' — three dots, three dashes, three dots, run together as one prosign without letter gaps. Adopted in 1906 because it was simple to send and unmistakable; the popular 'Save Our Souls' meaning is a backronym.
Ham radio CQ call
'CQ' encodes as '-.-. --.- ' and means 'seeking any station' on amateur radio. A full call like 'CQ DE W1AW' (this is W1AW seeking contact) reads '-.-. --.- / -.. . / .-- .---- .- .--' — bracketed by the slash word separator.
Speed and timing
The 'PARIS' standard defines Morse speed: 'PARIS ' takes 50 dot-units to send, so 5 WPM = 250 dot-units/min, or one dot every 240 ms. At 20 WPM (typical ham contest pace), each dot is just 60 ms — fast enough that experienced operators read patterns rather than counting.
Frequently asked questions
How does Morse code work?
Each letter, digit, and a handful of punctuation marks maps to a unique pattern of dots (dits, short signals) and dashes (dahs, long signals). A dash is exactly three dot-lengths long. Inside a letter, elements are separated by a 1-unit gap; between letters, a 3-unit gap; between words, a 7-unit gap. This 1:3:1:3:7 timing is the foundation of every Morse system, whether transmitted as audio tones, light flashes, or radio key clicks.
What is the Morse code for SOS?
'... --- ...' — three dots, three dashes, three dots. It is sent as a single prosign (no inter-letter gaps), which makes it instantly recognizable even to non-Morse-trained ears. SOS was chosen by the 1906 Berlin radio convention because the pattern is symmetric, simple, and impossible to mistake for normal text. 'Save Our Souls' and 'Save Our Ship' are post-hoc folk etymologies — the letters were picked for their pattern, not their meaning.
Is Morse code still used today?
Yes, in several active niches. Amateur (ham) radio operators use it for low-power, long-distance contacts because Morse cuts through interference far better than voice. Aviation VOR and NDB navigation beacons identify themselves in Morse. Some military and naval forces maintain Morse-trained operators. It is also used as an accessibility technology — single-switch input devices for people with severe motor disabilities can use Morse to type.
What is the difference between International Morse and American Morse?
International Morse (used in this tool, by ham radio worldwide, and by the ITU) is the modern standard. American Morse (also called Railroad Morse) was used on US landline telegraphs into the 20th century and used different codes for some letters plus internal letter spaces — a holdover from telegraph relay click patterns. American Morse is essentially extinct outside historical reenactment; if you encounter Morse anywhere today, it is International Morse.
How fast can someone send Morse code?
Beginners aim for 5-13 WPM (words per minute), based on the 'PARIS' standard (50 dot-units per word). Casual ham operators run 15-25 WPM; contest operators routinely send 30-40 WPM; the world record is around 75 WPM by ear. Computer-decoded Morse can go faster, but human reception flattens out around 60 WPM because the brain needs time to recognize letter patterns. The FCC dropped the 5 WPM Morse requirement for amateur licenses in 2007.
What does CQ mean in Morse code?
'CQ' (-.-. --.-) is the universal call meaning 'I am seeking any station to talk to.' Send 'CQ CQ CQ DE [your callsign]' to invite a contact. It originated in 19th-century French telegraph as 'sécu' (sécurité, attention). Contest operators send 'CQ TEST' or 'CQ DX' (DX = distant station). Other common abbreviations: 73 (best regards), 88 (love and kisses), QTH (location), QSL (acknowledged), DE (from).
Can I send Morse code with a flashlight?
Yes — visual Morse is one of its enduring use cases. Hold the light off, then flash short for a dot and longer (about 3× as long) for a dash. The 1:3 dot/dash ratio is the only timing that matters; absolute speed can be slow. Aldis lamps (signal lamps used by navies) operate on this principle. Boy Scouts and emergency response training still teach light-Morse for line-of-sight signaling without radio gear.
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