Morse Code to Text

Decode Morse signals back into readable English text instantly

Morse Signal (Use . and -)

Translated Text

0 Word Count

Yes Valid Signal

Translate dots and dashes into readable words

Found a Morse message in a puzzle, a geocache, a film clue or a radio log and want to know what it says? Paste it here and the decoder turns each group of dots and dashes into the matching letter or digit. It saves you from flipping through a chart symbol by symbol, and it points out any group it cannot recognise so you can spot a typo in the transcription.

Decoding a message

Type or paste the code into the Morse Signal box, using a full stop for a dot and a hyphen for a dash. The placeholder shows a sample for Hello World.
Make sure each letter is separated from the next by a single space, and each word from the next by a forward slash.
Press Decode Morse.
Read the answer under Translated Text, and press Copy Translation if you want to reuse it.

Below the result, Word Count shows how many words were decoded and Valid Signal says Yes, or says No (Unknown Symbols) if something could not be read.

Formatting rules that matter

The decoder splits your input on single spaces. So .... .. / - .... . .-. . decodes to HI THERE. If you have two spaces in a row, the empty piece between them is treated as an unknown symbol and shows up as a question mark. Text produced by the Text to Morse tool on this site puts extra spaces around its word separators, so tidy those double spaces first if you paste that output here. Line breaks are not treated as separators either, so join the code onto one line with spaces.

Where it is useful

Solving puzzle hunts, escape rooms and scavenger-hunt clues.
Checking your own decoding homework when learning Morse.
Reading a message that was transcribed from an audio recording or a flashing light.
Verifying that a Morse tattoo or piece of jewellery says what you intended.

What it does not cover

Only the 26 letters and the ten digits are in the dictionary. Punctuation codes, such as the ones for a full stop, comma or question mark, and prosigns like AR or SK are not recognised and will appear as question marks. The output is always in capital letters, since Morse has no case. Alternative dash characters, such as an en dash copied from a word processor, will not be understood, so use the plain hyphen. Decoding happens in your browser.

Related Articles

Morse Code Explained: Dots, Dashes and How to Learn I

Related Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I separate letters and words?

Put a single space between letters and a forward slash between words, for example .... .. / - .... . .-. . for HI THERE. The decoder splits on single spaces, so consistent spacing is important for a clean result.

Why do I see question marks in the result?

A question mark replaces any group the decoder cannot match, such as a mistyped sequence, punctuation code, or an empty gap caused by two spaces in a row. The Valid Signal box will then read No (Unknown Symbols).

Does it decode punctuation like commas and full stops?

No. The dictionary contains only the letters A to Z and the digits 0 to 9, plus the slash for word gaps. Punctuation codes and prosigns are not recognised and will be shown as question marks.

Can I paste output from the Text to Morse tool directly?

Almost. That tool adds extra spaces around its word separator, which this decoder reads as unknown symbols. Replace double spaces with single spaces before decoding and the round trip should work as expected.

Which characters can represent dots and dashes?

Use the plain full stop for a dot and the ordinary hyphen for a dash. Look-alike characters such as an en dash, a bullet or a middle dot are not recognised, so replace them if you copied the code from a document.