Morse Code Translator: Text to Morse Code & Audio Playback
Convert any text to Morse code or decode Morse code back to text. Plays the Morse code as audio at an adjustable speed (5–30 WPM) using the Web Audio API. Supports the full ITU Morse code standard including letters, digits, and punctuation. Includes an image Morse code decoder that reads dots and dashes from an uploaded image.
Bidirectional: converts text to Morse code dots and dashes, and decodes Morse code (dot/dash or . and -) back to readable text.
Audio playback using the Web Audio API — plays the Morse code as actual beeps at the correct timing ratios, with adjustable speed from 5 to 30 WPM (words per minute).
Adjustable frequency (Hz) for the tone so users can match a specific radio frequency or set a comfortable listening pitch.
Full ITU-R M.1677 standard character set: all 26 letters, digits 0–9, and standard punctuation (period, comma, question mark, apostrophe, slash, parentheses, colon, equals, plus, minus, underscore, quotation mark, dollar sign, at sign).
Image Morse code decoder: upload an image containing dots and dashes drawn on a signal line and the tool extracts and decodes the Morse code — captures the 'image morse code translator' query (1.6K vol, KD 11).
Full character reference table on the page, showing the Morse code for every supported character, so the page serves as a reference even for users who do not need to translate.
How to Use
Type or paste text into the input box to see the Morse code equivalent
Click Play to hear the Morse code as audio beeps at the selected WPM speed
To decode Morse code, paste dots and dashes (. and - separated by spaces) and click Decode
Use the WPM slider to adjust playback speed (5 = beginner, 20 = competent operator, 30 = expert)
To decode from an image, click the Image tab, upload the image, and click Decode Image
Education and Amateur Radio
- Learning Morse code for amateur (ham) radio licensing
- Practicing sending and receiving at different speeds
- Teaching the ITU standard character set
- Verifying Morse code encoding in study materials
Puzzles and CTFs
- Decoding Morse code in CTF audio challenges
- Solving escape room Morse puzzles
- Encoding secret messages in dots and dashes
- Image-based Morse code puzzle solving
History and Culture
- Demonstrating historical telegraph communication
- Encoding messages for Morse code aesthetic content
- Educational demonstrations of early telecommunications
| Original Text | Result |
|---|---|
SOS | ... --- ... |
HELLO | .... . .-.. .-.. --- |
... --- ... | SOS (decoded) |
73 | --... ...-- (ham radio farewell) |
CQ | -.-. --.- (general call in amateur radio) |
Amateur Radio
- Ham radio operators (ITU standard)
- Morse code license exam preparation
- CW (continuous wave) radio practice
Education and Puzzles
- CTF competitions
- Escape rooms
- History and STEM curricula
- Scout and scouting badge requirements
The standard timing ratios for Morse code are: dot = 1 unit, dash = 3 units, gap between elements of the same character = 1 unit, gap between characters = 3 units, gap between words = 7 units. The audio playback uses these exact ITU ratios at the selected WPM, so it produces authentic Morse code timing that matches what you would hear on a real radio channel.
SOS (... --- ...) is the most universally recognized Morse sequence. Contrary to popular belief, SOS does not stand for 'Save Our Souls' or 'Save Our Ship' — it was chosen in 1906 purely because the sequence is simple, distinctive, and hard to misread. The 'meaning' was backronymed later. The sequence is sent as a single continuous run without the inter-character gaps used in normal Morse.
For the image Morse code decoder, the best results come from images with high contrast between the dots/dashes and the background, and a clear horizontal signal line. Hand-drawn Morse on graph paper, printed Morse code strips, and CTF challenge images all decode reliably. Blurry or rotated images may require preprocessing before upload.
The prosign AR (.-.-.) signals 'end of message' in amateur radio, and SK (...-.-) signals 'end of contact'. These are sent without inter-character gaps and do not appear in the standard alphanumeric table. The reference section on this page includes common prosigns alongside the standard character set.
When encoding Morse code for audio playback or transmission, use the standard ITU timing ratios (dot=1, dash=3, element gap=1, character gap=3, word gap=7) rather than approximating — non-standard timing makes messages harder to decode by ear and fails amateur radio licensing requirements.
Separate characters with a single space and words with three spaces when writing Morse code in text form — this is the standard notation and what decoders (including this tool) expect. Do not use slashes or commas between characters.
For CTF image Morse challenges, maximize image contrast and crop to just the signal line before uploading to the image decoder — extraneous image content reduces accuracy, while a clean high-contrast crop of just the dots and dashes gives the best decode results.
Practice Morse code reception by ear before the transmission — most people find receiving significantly harder than sending. Start at 5 WPM with this tool's audio playback, learn all characters before increasing speed, and spend at least as much time listening as you do encoding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about our tools and services.
Understanding Morse Code Translator
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed the code in the 1830s while building the first practical electric telegraph. The original Morse code, used on American telegraphs, differed significantly from the modern ITU standard — it included variable-length dashes and special characters that were difficult to use internationally. In 1865, the International Telegraph Union standardized a modified version (now called International Morse Code or ITU Morse) that fixed the dash length at three dots and defined the full character set. This is the version in universal use today.
The timing ratios that define Morse code are precise and mathematically elegant. A dot is one timing unit. A dash is three units. The inter-element gap (between dots and dashes within a character) is one unit. The inter-character gap is three units. The inter-word gap is seven units. The ratio 1:3:7 means that the gaps carry as much information as the signals — an experienced operator can decode Morse code by listening to the rhythm of the silences as much as the sounds. This is why Morse remains audible and decodable at signal strengths far below what voice communication requires.
The allocation of short codes to common letters is not arbitrary — Morse assigned shorter sequences to more frequent letters. E (.) and T (-) are single elements, the two shortest possible codes, because E and T are among the most frequent letters in English. I (..) and A (.-) are two elements. Longer, rarer letters like Q (--.-) and Y (-.--) have four-element codes. This frequency weighting makes Morse more efficient to send in English than a uniform-length code would be — the average character length is shorter because common letters are faster to send.
The prosign system extends Morse code beyond individual characters to standardized operational signals. AR (.-.-.) means 'end of message', SK (...-.-) means 'end of contact', BT (-...-) is a paragraph break, and KN (-.--.) means 'specific station only invited to transmit'. These are sent as continuous sequences without inter-character gaps, making them distinguishable from normal letter sequences. The Q-code system (QRZ, QSL, QTH, etc.) provides a separate abbreviated vocabulary for amateur radio contacts.
The persistence of Morse code in amateur radio is explained by physics. A CW (continuous wave) Morse signal occupies an extremely narrow bandwidth — typically 100–200 Hz — compared to 2.5–3 kHz for single-sideband voice and 5–10 kHz for AM voice. This narrow bandwidth means CW signals can be detected at signal-to-noise ratios 10–15 dB lower than voice. In practice, a Morse contact remains readable through interference and propagation conditions that would make voice completely unintelligible. This physical advantage keeps Morse relevant for DX (long-distance) and emergency communication decades after its mandatory use was eliminated.