Binary Translator
Paste binary code to read it as text, or type text to get its binary. The translator works out which way you mean, and you can switch it.
- No ads
- No sign-up, no usage limits
- Nothing you enter is uploaded
Binary translator
Binary
How to use the binary translator
- 01
Paste or type
Paste a string of 0s and 1s, with or without spaces, or type any text.
- 02
Check the direction
The label under the box shows what the translator detected, such as "Detected: Binary → text". If it guessed wrong, pick Binary → text or Text → binary.
- 03
Copy the result
The result updates as you type. Press Copy. For binary output, choose Spaced, No spaces or One per line, and 8-bit or 7-bit.
How binary translation works
Text to binary: look up each character's code, then write it in 8 bits
| Text | Character code | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| H | 72 | 01001000 |
| e | 101 | 01100101 |
| l | 108 | 01101100 |
| l | 108 | 01101100 |
| o | 111 | 01101111 |
Binary to text: split into bytes, add the place values, look up the character
- Detects the direction
- ASCII, UTF-8, UTF-16 and Windows-1252
- Suggests a fix for a missing bit
- Opens and saves .txt and .bin files
- Free, and nothing you type is uploaded
Computers store each character as a number, and each number as a row of bits. In ASCII and UTF-8, an English letter takes 8 bits, one byte. The capital letter A is number 65, which is 01000001 in binary.
To translate binary to text, the translator splits the bits into bytes, turns each byte into its number, and looks the number up. Text to binary runs the same steps backward. Characters outside basic English take more bytes in UTF-8: é takes two and most emoji take four. The translator handles those too.
Want to do it by hand? How to read binary walks through the method with practice questions.
Every converter
Each one runs in your browser and shows its working.
- Binary TranslatorDetects binary or text and converts either way.
- Binary to Text ConverterDecode 0s and 1s into readable text, byte by byte.
- Text to Binary ConverterTurn words into 8-bit or 7-bit binary.
- Binary to English TranslatorRead binary messages, with fixes for typos.
- Binary Translator from ImageScan binary from a photo or screenshot.
- Binary to Decimal ConverterBinary numbers to decimal, with the working.
- Decimal to Binary ConverterDecimal numbers to binary by dividing by 2.
- Binary to Hex ConverterBinary to hexadecimal, 4 bits per digit.
- Hex to Binary ConverterHexadecimal to binary, digit by digit.
- Binary to ASCII ConverterBinary to ASCII characters and codes.
- ASCII to Binary ConverterASCII characters or codes to binary.
- Name in Binary CodeYour name letter by letter, with a printable worksheet.
- Binary CalculatorAdd, subtract, multiply, divide and AND/OR/XOR, with the working.
- Two's Complement CalculatorNegative numbers in 4, 8, 16 or 32 bits, and back.
- Binary to Octal ConverterBinary to octal, 3 bits per digit.
- Octal to Binary ConverterOctal digits to 3-bit groups.
- Hex to Text ConverterDecode hex bytes to readable text.
- Text to Hex ConverterTurn text into hex bytes, UTF-8.
- Gray Code ConverterBinary to Gray code and back, bit by bit.
- Binary ClockThe current time as a live binary clock.
- Binary, Hex and Decimal ConverterText, binary, hex, decimal, octal and Base64 side by side.
- Binary Translator WidgetPut a binary translator on your own website.
Binary examples
A few characters and their 8-bit binary. Notice that uppercase and lowercase differ by one bit.
| Character | Binary | Decimal | Hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 01000001 | 65 | 41 |
| a | 01100001 | 97 | 61 |
| space | 00100000 | 32 | 20 |
| Z | 01011010 | 90 | 5A |
| z | 01111010 | 122 | 7A |
| 0 | 00110000 | 48 | 30 |
| ? | 00111111 | 63 | 3F |
| ! | 00100001 | 33 | 21 |
Got binary in a photo?
Take a picture of binary on a shirt, a puzzle or a screen, and the scanner reads the 0s and 1s for you. The image stays on your device.
Scan binary from a photoFrequently asked questions
How do I translate binary to English?
Paste the binary into the box above. The translator splits it into 8-bit bytes and shows the English text right away. Spaces between bytes help, but it also reads one long string. For messages that come out garbled, the binary to English translator suggests a fix when the first bits are off.
Can Google Translate translate binary code?
No. Binary isn't a language, it's a way of writing numbers, so translation apps don't list it. You need a converter like this one that reads each byte as a character code.
Why does my binary translation come out as gibberish?
Usually a bit is missing or extra, which shifts every byte after it. Check that each group has 8 digits. Some sources use 7-bit groups, which the translator reads too. If the text was written in another encoding, try switching between UTF-8 and ASCII.
How many bits make one letter in binary?
Eight bits, one byte, for every letter, digit and symbol on an English keyboard. Old 7-bit ASCII uses seven. Accented letters and emoji take 16 to 32 bits in UTF-8.
Is this binary translator free and private?
Yes. It's free with no sign-up and no limit. The conversion runs in your browser, so what you type isn't sent to our server.