Morse Code Translator
Translate text to Morse code with live audio playback
About this tool
This free Morse code translator converts plain text to international Morse code and decodes Morse code back to text. It supports all 26 letters, digits 0–9, and common punctuation marks. Words are separated by a forward slash ( / ) in the Morse output. You can also play the Morse code as authentic audio tones — 600 Hz at standard ITU timing — to practice receiving Morse by ear.
Morse code was developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail in the 1830s and 1840s for use with the electrical telegraph. The International Morse Code (also called Continental Morse) was standardized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and adopted for maritime radio communication worldwide. Every character is represented by a sequence of dots (short signals, called "dits") and dashes (long signals, called "dahs"). A dash is three times the length of a dot.
ITU timing standards: a dot is 1 unit; a dash is 3 units; the gap between dots and dashes within a character is 1 unit; the gap between characters is 3 units; the gap between words is 7 units. At 20 words per minute (WPM) — the standard speed for amateur radio licensing exams — one unit equals about 60ms. Experienced operators can receive 35–40 WPM.
Today Morse code is still used by amateur (ham) radio operators worldwide, in aviation as VOR/NDB station identifiers, and as an accessibility input method (users with limited mobility can activate a switch to enter Morse code on smartphones). The internationally recognized distress signal SOS (···———···) is chosen for its distinctive and unmistakable rhythm.