Free Morse Code Translator
International Morse · ITU timing · audio, Farnsworth, light, vibrate · no signup. Also works as a Morse code generator and converter.
Hear a letter aloud: Q is dah-dah-dit-dah (--.-). Every letter page lists its spoken rhythm.
CW Radio: sine tone on HF. Telegraph: click sounder. Farnsworth: full-speed character shapes with spaced gaps for ear training.
How to use this Morse code translator
Type English in the left box — Morse appears on the right (or paste Morse to auto-switch).
Or open Morse to Text and paste dots (.) and dashes (-).
Pick presets: Learn (Farnsworth), QSO (20 WPM), or Slow (10).
Play audio, flash light, or vibrate on a phone.
Download WAV, copy a share link, or send a puzzle.
Morse code converter and generator
Searchers use different words for the same job: Morse code translator, converter, generator, decipher, or encoder. This homepage does all of them in one place — English to Morse, Morse to English, plus audio and downloads. Need English → Morse only? Use the English to Morse page. Need to decode radio audio? See the Morse code decoder.
A Morse code generator here means type a message and get dots and dashes (and optional WAV) instantly — same engine as the converter, no extra signup.
How to translate Morse code to English by hand
You do not need a computer to read Morse. Treat the signal as a stream of timed elements, then rebuild words from letters. International Morse is standardized in ITU-R M.1677-1; amateur practice guides such as the ARRL learning resources use the same timing.
Step by step
- Split into words. Long pauses (about seven dot units) mark word boundaries. Shorter pauses (three units) separate letters.
- Split each letter. Inside a letter, dots and dashes are separated by one unit gaps. A dash lasts three times as long as a dot.
- Look up each pattern. Match the rhythm to the alphabet — E is one dot, T is one dash, A is dot-dash, and so on.
- Read the word. String letters together. If a pattern is unknown, mark it and keep copying — context often clarifies it on the next pass.
Worked example: HELLO WORLD
.... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..
Break at the slash: first group spells HELLO, second spells WORLD. Paste the line into Morse → Text above to check your work, then play audio at 15–20 WPM with Farnsworth gaps while you copy by ear.
Spacing and timing rules
Morse is a timing code. A dot is one unit, a dash is three units, the gap between parts of a letter is one unit, between letters three units, and between words seven units. Farnsworth spacing stretches only the letter and word gaps so you hear full-speed character shapes — a technique many instructors recommend for beginners.
Why your Morse code translates wrong
Missing spaces between letters. ...---... without gaps is ambiguous — it might be SOS, or other valid splits. Add spaces: ... --- ....
Extra spaces inside a letter. . .- is not A; the translator reads two symbols. A is .- with no interior gap.
Look-alike symbols. Unicode middle dots (·), en dashes (–), and em dashes (—) are not Morse. Replace them with ASCII . and -.
Unsupported characters. Emoji and symbols outside the ITU table show as # in text → Morse mode so you know they were dropped. Remove them or rewrite the phrase.
Unspaced input. Decoders cannot guess your intent. When in doubt, type spaces explicitly or use the audio decoder on a clean recording, then edit the spacing it suggests.
Letters and numbers quick reference
Compact A–Z and 0–9 patterns for checking copy. For audio per letter and punctuation, use the interactive alphabet or download the printable reference on our Morse reference sheet (PDF and PNG).
| Char | Morse | Char | Morse | Char | Morse | Char | Morse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .- | -... | -.-. | -.. | ||||
| . | ..-. | --. | .... | ||||
| .. | .--- | -.- | .-.. | ||||
| -- | -. | --- | .--. | ||||
| --.- | .-. | ... | - | ||||
| ..- | ...- | .-- | -..- | ||||
| -.-- | --.. | ----- | .---- | ||||
| ..--- | ...-- | ....- | ..... | ||||
| -.... | --... | ---.. | ----. |
Speed, Farnsworth and tone
Words per minute (WPM) sets how long each dot lasts. At 20 WPM, operators send PARIS as the standard word length. Use the Learn preset for 20 WPM characters with 10 WPM Farnsworth gaps.
CW Radio uses a sine sidetone; Telegraph uses a square-wave click. Both follow the same timing. Match the tone to what your radio or study material uses (often 500–700 Hz).
Dot length in milliseconds follows 1200 ÷ WPM; the word PARIS equals fifty timing units at standard speed. See the full Morse code timing & WPM guide for Farnsworth math, tables, and an interactive diagram.
When you outgrow presets, open Farnsworth spacing for a deeper explanation or practice modules with shareable URLs.
Light, vibration and audio download
Light mode flashes the screen in sync with the message — useful for visual practice or signaling across a room. Photosensitivity warning: if flashing lights trigger discomfort or seizures, avoid Light mode and use audio or vibration instead.
Vibration plays the pattern on supported phones. Download WAV to share a file offline at the WPM and tone you selected.
Directional pages: English to Morse · Morse to English · light Morse guide.
Translator vs decoder
This homepage is a morse code translator (typed text both ways, plus playback). A decoder often means turning radio audio into text — see Morse code decoder for typed and in-browser microphone/file decode. We do not claim satellite-grade signal processing; honest limits build trust.
Where Morse code is still used
- Amateur radio CW on HF bands — daily contacts and contests.
- Aviation and maritime navigation aids (identifier beacons), documented in ICAO/FAA training material.
- Accessibility: Morse input on mobile keyboards for users who prefer dit/dah entry.
- Military and emergency training as a backup when digital paths fail — see is Morse still used.
- Education, museums, and escape-room puzzles — timing literacy still teaches signal processing thinking.
Background reading: Wikipedia · ITU recommendation · ARRL learning.
Common messages in Morse
| Message | Morse |
|---|---|
| SOS | ... --- ... |
| I love you | .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- |
| Hello | .... . .-.. .-.. --- |
| CQ | -.-. --.- |
| 73 | --... ...-- |
| Name SAM | ... .- -- |
FAQ
About this tool
Published by MorseCoder. Last updated: October 11, 2026. Timing follows ITU-R M.1677-1. Read more on About and the editorial policy.