Turn any text into binary, hex, octal or decimal byte codes, or paste codes to read the text they spell. Accents, symbols and emoji work too. Switch the direction at the top, or press the swap button to turn the output back into input. It is free and runs in your browser.
How to convert text to binary, step by step
- Choose Text to codes or Codes to text.
- Choose the Format: Binary, Hex, Octal or Decimal.
- Choose what goes between bytes: a space, nothing or a comma.
- Type or paste into the Text box. The result appears as you type.
- Press Copy, or use the swap button to convert the result back.
How text becomes binary
Computers store text as bytes. This converter uses UTF-8, the encoding used by almost every web page and app: plain English letters, digits and punctuation take one byte each, so H is 72, which is 01001000 in binary and 48 in hex. Accented letters take two bytes, many other scripts take three, and emoji take four. That is why the byte count can be higher than the character count.
Decoding codes into text
Paste binary with spaces, commas or line breaks between the bytes, or as one long run of ones and zeros: a run is split into 8-bit groups automatically. Hex can be written as 48 65, 4865, 0x48 0x65 or %48%65. Decimal codes need something between them, such as 72 101. If a character does not belong, or a group does not split into whole bytes, the message says exactly where, and if the codes look like another format it suggests switching.
When bytes are not valid text
Some byte sequences are not valid UTF-8, for example random numbers or text saved in an older encoding. They are still decoded, with the unreadable parts shown as the replacement character, and a note tells you so.
Handy examples
- The word Hi is 01001000 01101001 in binary.
- The same word in hex is 48 69.
- An accented letter such as e with an acute accent takes two bytes.
- A single emoji takes four bytes.
Who uses it
Students learning how computers store text, teachers preparing a lesson or a puzzle, programmers checking byte values, and anyone who wants to write a message in binary. For whole numbers, the number converter switches between bases, and the Unicode inspector looks at each character.
Private by design
Everything is converted on this page in your browser. Nothing you type or paste is sent anywhere.
Questions
Why is there more than one byte per character?
Only basic English characters take one byte. Accents, other scripts and emoji take more.
Can I decode binary without spaces?
Yes. A long run of ones and zeros is split into 8-bit groups automatically.
Does it use ASCII?
It uses UTF-8, which matches ASCII for basic English letters, digits and punctuation.