# Morse Code Decoder

> Translate Morse code (dots and dashes) into letters, digits and punctuation.

- Page: https://decoder.tools/morse-code-decoder
- Category: Data, Radix & String
- Status: live, runs in the browser
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-23

A Morse code translator converts sequences of dots and dashes into letters. Each letter is a short pattern, such as `.-` for A and `...` for S, separated from the next letter by a space.

## Example

```text Input
.... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -..
```

```text Output
HELLO WORLD
```

Put one space between letters and a `/` (or two or more spaces) between words.

## How Morse code works

Morse code writes each character as a sequence of short signals (dots, `.`) and long signals (dashes, `-`). Common letters get short codes: `E` is a single dot and `T` a single dash. Rare letters get longer ones: `Q` is `--.-`.

When sent by sound or light, timing separates the symbols. A dash lasts three dots, the gap between letters is three dots long, and the gap between words is seven. In text form those gaps become spaces and slashes.

## Morse code chart

| Letter | Code | Letter | Code | Digit | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | `.-` | N | `-.` | 1 | `.----` |
| B | `-...` | O | `---` | 2 | `..---` |
| C | `-.-.` | P | `.--.` | 3 | `...--` |
| D | `-..` | Q | `--.-` | 4 | `....-` |
| E | `.` | R | `.-.` | 5 | `.....` |
| F | `..-.` | S | `...` | 6 | `-....` |
| G | `--.` | T | `-` | 7 | `--...` |
| H | `....` | U | `..-` | 8 | `---..` |
| I | `..` | V | `...-` | 9 | `----.` |
| J | `.---` | W | `.--` | 0 | `-----` |
| K | `-.-` | X | `-..-` | `.` | `.-.-.-` |
| L | `.-..` | Y | `-.--` | `,` | `--..--` |
| M | `--` | Z | `--..` | `?` | `..--..` |

## How to use the Morse translator

1. Paste the Morse code using `.` and `-`.
2. Separate letters with a space and words with ` / `.
3. Read the text. A `�` in the output marks a pattern that isn't a valid Morse character.

## Decode Morse code in code

```python Python
M = {".-": "A", "-...": "B", "-.-.": "C", "-..": "D", ".": "E", "..-.": "F", "--.": "G",
     "....": "H", "..": "I", ".---": "J", "-.-": "K", ".-..": "L", "--": "M", "-.": "N",
     "---": "O", ".--.": "P", "--.-": "Q", ".-.": "R", "...": "S", "-": "T", "..-": "U",
     "...-": "V", ".--": "W", "-..-": "X", "-.--": "Y", "--..": "Z"}
msg = ".... . .-.. .-.. --- / .-- --- .-. .-.. -.."
print(" ".join("".join(M[c] for c in w.split()) for w in msg.split(" / ")))  # HELLO WORLD
```

## Morse code at a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Standard | International Morse code (ITU-R M.1677-1) |
| Symbols | Dot `.` and dash `-` |
| Letter separator | One space |
| Word separator | `/` or two or more spaces |
| SOS | `... --- ...` |

## FAQ

### What is SOS in Morse code?

`... --- ...`: three dots, three dashes, three dots. In practice it's sent as one continuous signal with no letter gaps.

### Can this tool encode text into Morse?

Not yet. It translates Morse into text. To encode, use the chart above.

### My message uses 0 and 1 instead of dots and dashes. Is it Morse?

It may be, but it's more likely [binary](/binary-to-text) if the groups are 8 digits long. Morse groups vary in length (1 to 5 symbols for letters), while binary bytes are always 8.