Morse Code Translator
Turn text into Morse code and back — then play it as sound and light. International Morse, with numbers, punctuation, adjustable speed and a full reference.
- Free, no sign-up
- Works worldwide
- Instant results
Full reference (A–Z, 0–9)
Uses International Morse code (ITU-R M.1677). Playback timing follows the PARIS standard — a dash is three times a dot, with one-unit gaps between symbols, three between letters and seven between words. Tap Play to hear and see it; the light flashes in time with the tone.
How do you write SOS in Morse code?
SOS is three dots, three dashes, three dots: · · · — — — · · ·, sent as one signal. More generally, each letter maps to a short pattern of dots and dashes — type anything above to convert it, and press Play to hear the rhythm.
Methodology: Conversion uses the International Morse code table (ITU-R M.1677) — a fixed standard — so every translation is exact in both directions; alternative dot and dash glyphs are normalised on the way in. Audio playback follows PARIS-standard timing: one unit is 1200/wpm milliseconds, a dash is three units, gaps are one unit between symbols, three between letters and seven between words. The tones are generated in the browser and the indicator light is driven from the same timeline, so sound and flash stay in step. How we test & calculate.
The other way to spell things out
The phonetic alphabet makes letters clear over a crackly phone line; Morse makes them clear over anything that can be turned on and off — a tone, a torch, a tap. They’re the two classic answers to the same problem, getting a message through when conditions are against you, and this translator is the Morse half: type a word and watch it become dots and dashes you can actually hear.
Hear it, don’t count it
The temptation is to read Morse by counting dots, but that isn’t how it’s actually used. The rhythm is the message — a dash is three times a dot, and the spaces matter as much as the marks. Press Play and slow the speed down, and the patterns start to feel like little tunes. Most people can learn SOS in a minute that way, and the few common letters not long after.
Why it still earns a place
Morse survives because it’s the lowest-bandwidth language there is: where voice fails and data drops, a faint repeating signal can still carry letters. That’s why navigation beacons still tap out their identifiers and why SOS is worth knowing. Mostly, though, it’s good fun — pair it with the phonetic alphabet and you’ve got both classic ways to make yourself understood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for everyday communication, but it hasn’t disappeared. It’s still valued because it gets a message through when almost nothing else will — a faint signal, a flashing light, or a tapped sound can carry letters when voice and data can’t. Aviation and marine navigation beacons still identify themselves in Morse, and the distress signal SOS remains universally recognised. It’s also simply a fun skill, which is why translators like this are popular.