Morse code is a character encoding system that represents letters and numbers as sequences of dots (.) and dashes (-). Invented in the 1830s, it remains relevant in emergency signaling and amateur radio.
Morse Code Alphabet
| Letter | Code | Letter | Code | Number | Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | .- | N | -. | 0 | ----- |
| B | -... | O | --- | 1 | .---- |
| C | -.-. | P | .--. | 2 | ..--- |
| D | -.. | Q | --.- | 3 | ...-- |
| E | . | R | .-. | 4 | ....- |
| F | ..-. | S | ... | 5 | ..... |
| G | --. | T | - | 6 | -.... |
| H | .... | U | ..- | 7 | --... |
| I | .. | V | ...- | 8 | ---.. |
| J | .--- | W | .-- | 9 | ----. |
| K | -.- | X | -..- | ||
| L | .-.. | Y | -.-- | ||
| M | -- | Z | --.. |
Morse Code Timing Rules
| Element | Duration |
|---|---|
| Dot (.) | 1 unit |
| Dash (-) | 3 units |
| Space between parts of a letter | 1 unit |
| Space between letters | 3 units |
| Space between words | 7 units |
Famous Morse Code Signals
History of Morse Code
Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail developed the code in the 1830s-1840s for use with the electric telegraph. It was the primary means of long-distance communication until the telephone and radio became widespread.
Modern Uses
Try It Yourself
Convert text to Morse code or decode Morse back to text with our free Morse Code Converter.