Overview
What this converter does
Convert text into binary, decimal, hexadecimal, or octal, and decode any of those back into readable text. Each character is translated by its Unicode code point, so it handles plain ASCII, accented letters, and even emoji. Everything runs in your browser with one-click copy.
The basics
How text becomes binary
Computers store every character as a number. The letter 'A' is stored as the number 65; 'a' is 97; the space is 32. These are Unicode code points (ASCII for the first 128). To get binary, that number is written in base 2:
- 'A' = 65 = 01000001 in 8-bit binary
- 'B' = 66 = 01000010
- 'a' = 97 = 01100001
- ' ' (space) = 32 = 00100000
Standard ASCII characters fit in 8 bits (one byte), which is why each is shown as an 8-digit group. The word "Hi" becomes 01001000 01101001.
Four number bases
Binary, decimal, hex, and octal
| What it is | 'A' (code 65) looks like | |
|---|---|---|
| Binary (base 2) | Only 0 and 1 | 01000001 |
| Decimal (base 10) | Everyday numbers | 65 |
| Hex (base 16) | 0-9 then A-F | 41 |
| Octal (base 8) | Digits 0-7 | 101 |
Hexadecimal is the most common in programming because it's compact and maps neatly to bytes (two hex digits per byte). You see it in color codes (#FF8800), memory addresses, and character escapes.
Why emoji are different
ASCII vs Unicode
ASCII covers the first 128 code points: English letters, digits, and common punctuation — everything that fits in 7 bits. Unicode extends this to every writing system and symbol on Earth, including emoji, using much larger code points.
Emoji use big numbers
Who needs this
Common uses
- Students learning how computers represent text
- Programmers debugging character encoding issues
- Puzzle and escape-room makers hiding messages in binary
- Anyone decoding a binary string they found online
- Understanding how ASCII maps letters to numbers
Behind the scenes
Privacy and how it runs
Runs in your browser
Common questions
How do I convert text to binary?
Type your text in encode mode with the Binary format selected. Each character is converted to its 8-bit binary code, space-separated. The output updates as you type.
What is "Hello" in binary?
01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 — that's H, e, l, l, o, each as an 8-bit byte.
How do I decode binary to text?
Switch to decode mode, keep the Binary format, and paste your binary with each 8-bit group separated by a space. The original text appears instantly.
Why isn't my binary decoding correctly?
The most common cause is missing spaces between bytes, or groups that aren't 8 bits. Make sure each character's binary is separated by a space and is a valid length.
What's the difference between this and the number base converter?
This tool converts whole text strings character by character. The Number Base Converter converts a single number between bases. Use this for messages and text, the base converter for individual numbers.