Morse code, developed in the 1830s–40s by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail for the electric telegraph, encodes each letter as a sequence of short and long signals — dots and dashes. It carried the world's long-distance communication for a century, and it survives today in amateur radio, aviation beacons, accessibility devices, and the universal distress call SOS (··· ——— ···).
This translator converts text to Morse and Morse back to text instantly. Letters are separated by spaces and words by slashes, following standard conventions.
How to Use This Tool
- Type text to get Morse code, or paste dots and dashes to decode.
- Use spaces between letters and / between words when entering Morse.
- Copy the result — or read it aloud as 'dit' (dot) and 'dah' (dash).
- Try SOS first: three dots, three dashes, three dots.
Frequently Asked Questions
How was the code designed?
Vail assigned the shortest sequences to the most frequent English letters — E is a single dot, T a single dash — making transmissions measurably faster. It is one of the earliest practical examples of frequency-based data compression.
What are the timing rules in real Morse?
A dash lasts three dots; gaps are one dot within a letter, three dots between letters, and seven dots between words. Skilled operators reached 25–40 words per minute — and read code by rhythm rather than counting symbols.
Why is SOS the distress signal?
Chosen in 1906 because the pattern — three dots, three dashes, three dots, sent unbroken — is unmistakable even through interference. It does not officially abbreviate anything; 'Save Our Souls' was attached later as a mnemonic.