Morse Code Translator: Audio & Text Decoder

Invented in the 1830s by Samuel Morse for the electrical telegraph, Morse Code is a method of transmitting text information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks. Despite its age, it remains highly relevant today in aviation, amateur radio (ham radio), and emergency signaling (such as the universal SOS distress call).

Our free online Morse Code Translator allows you to instantly encode standard text into radiotelegraphy signals, or decode dots and dashes back into a human-readable alphabet. Furthermore, it features an integrated Web Audio API synthesizer, allowing you to actually listen to your message as a transmitted radio frequency.

Understanding the Syntax

Morse Code relies on strict temporal durations to differentiate between characters and words. The system is built entirely on two basic units:

• The Dot ( . ): Also known as a "dit", this is the foundational unit of time measurement in the code.
• The Dash ( - ): Also known as a "dah", the duration of a dash is exactly three times the duration of a dot.
• Letter Spacing: In our translator, individual letters are separated by a single space (e.g., ... --- ... for S-O-S). In audio transmission, this is a pause equal to the duration of three dots.
• Word Spacing: Entire words are separated by a forward slash / (e.g., .... .. / - .... . .-. . for HI THERE). In audio, this is a longer pause equal to seven dots.