Morse code translator
Farnsworth timing keeps the characters at the Speed value and stretches the silence between letters and words, so its slider stops at the Speed value.
Flash warning: the round torch lamp flashes bright with the Morse rhythm. Lower the speed for a cleaner blink, and skip the flash if you are sensitive to flashing lights.
Morse code chart: letters, numbers, and symbols
Click any symbol to hear how it sounds. The letter patterns follow the official International Morse code standard, ITU-R M.1677-1.
The number trick: a digit is that many dots, then dashes to fill five signals. 1 = ·----, 3 = ···--, 5 = ·····. After 5 the pattern flips: 6 = -····, 9 = ----·. No need to memorize 10 random patterns. Just count.
What is Morse code?
Morse code is a way of sending text as sound or light pulses. Short pulses are called dots (·) and longer pulses are called dashes (-). Each letter, number, and common punctuation mark has its own pattern. Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed it in the 1830s for the electric telegraph, and ham radio operators still use it today.
A message can travel as beeps, as a blinking flashlight, as vibration, or as taps on a surface. On this page you can type words and sentences, watch the Morse pattern appear instantly, and play it back as sound or light.
How to read Morse code: the timing rules
Everything in Morse code is measured in one unit of time. A dot is 1 unit. A dash is 3 units. The gaps matter just as much, because they separate the letters:
- Dots and dashes inside one letter: 1 unit apart
- One letter and the next: 3 units apart
- One word and the next: 7 units apart (written as a slash " / ")
So the pattern ··· --- ··· reads as SOS. Once the rhythm clicks, you can follow Morse by ear or by touch.
SOS and emergency signaling
SOS (··· --- ···) is the international distress signal. The letters don't stand for anything. They were adopted in 1906 because the pattern is easy to send and hard to mishear. It became famous in 1912 when the Titanic sank: her radio operators sent both CQD, the older distress call, and SOS.
You can send SOS with anything that pulses: a flashlight, a whistle, taps on a pipe, or a car horn. The rhythm is always three short, three long, three short. Press the red SOS Signal button above to hear it.
Is Morse code hard to learn?
Not really. It is a skill of the ear, and most beginners make it harder than it needs to be by memorizing the chart with their eyes and counting dots in their head. The faster route is to listen to each letter as one sound from day one and add a few letters at a time.
With 15 to 20 minutes of practice a day, many learners recognize basic words within a few weeks, though progress varies from person to person. Our Learn Morse Code page walks through the Koch method and a simple daily plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does Morse code have punctuation?
Yes. International Morse code includes marks such as the period (·-·-·-), comma (--··--) and question mark (··--··), plus symbols like @ and /. You can find all of them in the Symbols tab of the chart above.
How long is a dash in Morse code?
A dash lasts exactly 3 times as long as a dot. If a dot is 0.08 seconds, a dash is 0.24 seconds. Gaps follow the same system: 1 unit between dots and dashes, 3 units between letters, 7 units between words.
Does Morse code work with numbers?
Yes, all ten digits have their own patterns, and they follow one family shape instead of ten random ones: digits 1 to 5 count dots from the left and pad with dashes, and 6 to 0 run the same idea in reverse as the dashes take over. The Numbers tab of the chart above shows every digit with the trick spelled out.
What does SOS sound like in Morse code?
Three short beeps, three long beeps, three short beeps: dit-dit-dit dah-dah-dah dit-dit-dit. Say it out loud a few times to lock in the rhythm, then use the red SOS Signal button above to hear the real thing.
Why does Morse code feel hard at first?
Basic recognition usually takes a few weeks of light daily practice, though progress varies from person to person. It only feels harder when you learn it by staring at the visual chart. Learn it by ear in small steps (the Koch method) and it starts to feel natural. Our Learn Morse Code guide shows you how.
How do I read blinking Morse code?
Watch the rhythm: a short blink is a dot, and a blink about three times longer is a dash. Pauses matter too. A short pause ends a letter, and a longer pause ends a word. Try the Flashlight button above to practice; the round torch lamp between the buttons blinks the rhythm for you, so it works on every device. It is the light on the page itself that blinks; the button does not use any hardware light on the phone.
Why doesn't my phone vibrate when I tap Vibrate?
Vibration can fail for a few reasons: silent mode, haptics turned off, or the browser. Turn silent mode off, then tap Vibrate again. If it still does not work, check that vibration (haptics) is turned on in your phone's sound settings. Websites can vibrate Android phones in Chrome; iPhones do not let websites trigger vibration at all.
Why doesn't vibration work on my computer?
Desktop computers and laptops have no vibration motor, so there is nothing to shake. The Vibrate button only works on devices that have one, mainly Android phones in Chrome. On a computer you will see a message that vibration is not available. Use the Sound and Flashlight buttons instead; they work everywhere.