Overview
Before the internet, there was the wire — and on the wire, Morse code: the first digital encoding of text, turning letters into patterns of short and long signals. Dots and dashes carried news, distress calls and love letters across continents for over a century. This translator works both ways: text to Morse, Morse to text, plus real audio playback at your chosen speed.
The encoding is beautifully economical: common letters get short codes (E is a single dot), rare ones get long ones — an early form of data compression designed by hand in the 1840s.
How does Morse code actually work?
Each letter, digit and punctuation mark maps to a unique sequence of dits (dots) and dahs (dashes). Timing is part of the code: a dah lasts three dits, the gap between letters is three dits, and between words seven. Without those gaps, ...---... would be unreadable noise — which is why the translator preserves word gaps as slashes.
Speed is measured in words per minute, where the “word” is the standard PARIS (50 dit-units). Fifteen WPM — the default here — is a comfortable listening speed; skilled operators exceed 40. The audio uses the standard sine tone, traditionally around 600–700 Hz.
Features
- Both directions: text → Morse and Morse → text on one page.
- Real audio playback via WebAudio — dits and dahs at your chosen WPM and tone.
- Full character set: letters, digits and common punctuation.
- Adjustable speed (5–40 WPM) and tone frequency.
- Copy output in one click.
- Private: everything runs locally.
Benefits
- Learn by ear. Hearing the rhythm teaches faster than reading dots.
- Decode anything. Paste mysterious dot-dash strings and read them.
- Correct timing. Standard dit/dah/gap ratios, not approximations.
- Instant. No sign-up, no app install.
Who can use it
History buffs, amateur radio newcomers learning the code, puzzle solvers decoding hidden messages, teachers demonstrating early digital communication, and anyone who has heard ...---... in a film and wondered. Accessibility researchers also use Morse-derived switching as an input method — the code is still alive.
How to use
- Choose the direction: Text → Morse or Morse → Text.
- Type or paste your input (use / between words when decoding).
- Read the output instantly as you type.
- Set your speed and tone, then press Play to hear it.
- Copy the output or press Stop to silence playback.
Frequently asked questions
What does SOS actually stand for?
Nothing — it is not an abbreviation. ...---... was chosen as the distress signal because the pattern is unmistakable and easy to send: three dits, three dahs, three dits, sent as one continuous sequence. Any “Save Our Souls” backronym came later.
Why do common letters have shorter codes?
By design. Morse and Vail assigned the shortest sequences to the most frequent English letters (E, T, A, O) after counting type in a printer's office — an 1840s version of data compression, decades before the theory existed.
Is Morse code still used?
Yes, in niches: amateur radio operators still learn and love it, aviation beacons identify themselves in Morse, and assistive technology uses single-switch Morse input for people with severe motor impairments. It is also a rite of passage in radio licensing in several countries.
How should I format Morse for decoding?
Separate letters with spaces and words with a forward slash, like ... --- ... / .... . .-.. .--. The decoder is forgiving about extra spaces, but the slashes are what mark word boundaries.
Is anything I type uploaded?
No. Translation and audio synthesis happen entirely in your browser.
Conclusion
Dots, dashes, and 180 years of history. Type it, hear it, decode it — the first digital code still works exactly as designed.