Morse Code Translator
Live two-way translation between text and morse code — type in either box.
Translates live as you type, in both directions. Separate letters with spaces and words with / or three spaces.
How to use the morse code translator
- Type plain text in the top box — the morse code appears below instantly.
- Or paste morse code below to decode it back to text.
- Use the copy buttons to grab either side.
A very short history of morse code
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed morse code in the 1830s–1840s for the electric telegraph, assigning the shortest sequences to the most common letters — which is why E is a single dot and Q is dash-dash-dot-dash. It became the lingua franca of early radio, and its most famous sequence, SOS (... --- ...), was chosen precisely because it is unmistakable, not because it stands for anything. Though commercial telegraphy is long gone, morse lives on in aviation, amateur radio, assistive technology (where a single switch can type), and pop culture — from movie soundtracks to the Nokia SMS tone, which is morse for “SMS.”
Frequently asked questions
How do I separate letters and words in morse code?
Letters are separated by a single space, words by a forward slash or three spaces. This translator accepts both styles when decoding.
What characters are supported?
A–Z, 0–9, and common punctuation (. , ? ' ! / ( ) & : ; = + - _ " $ @). Anything else is skipped during encoding.
What does SOS stand for?
Nothing — it was chosen because ...---... is simple and unmistakable in an emergency, not as an abbreviation. “Save Our Souls” came later as a backronym.
Is morse code still used today?
Yes. Amateur radio operators use it daily, pilots still identify navigation beacons by morse, and it remains a reliable fallback when voice communication fails.