Binary Translator
Convert text to binary and binary back to text.
UTF-8 aware, 8 bits per byte, works both ways, live as you type.
Your Binary
How does a binary translator work?
A binary translator converts between the text we read and the ones and zeros a computer stores. This one works both ways: type text to see its binary, or paste binary to decode it back to text. Pick a direction, enter your value, and the result appears instantly, ready to copy or download. It runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you type leaves your device.
Binary is base 2, a number system with only two digits, 0 and 1, each called a bit. Computers store everything in binary because a circuit is naturally either off (0) or on (1). To store text, every character is given a number, and that number is written in binary. Eight bits make a byte, and a byte can hold 256 different values, which is enough for all the basic letters, digits and symbols. That is why this tool writes each byte as exactly eight bits, padding with leading zeros, so A is 01000001.
The tool uses UTF-8, the standard that maps every character to bytes. In UTF-8 a basic English character is a single byte (8 bits), and its value matches the older ASCII system, so A is 01000001 in both. Characters outside that basic set use more than one byte: an accented letter like é is two bytes, many symbols are three, and an emoji is usually four bytes, which is 32 bits. Each byte is still eight bits, so longer characters simply produce more 8-bit groups. Spaces count too: a space is the value 32, or 00100000.
To convert text to binary, type into the box and read the binary below. To convert binary to text, switch the direction and paste your bits; spaces and new lines between the groups are ignored, the bits are grouped into bytes of eight, and those bytes are decoded back to text. If the binary is not whole 8-bit groups, or has anything other than 0 and 1, the tool says so rather than guessing. This is handy for learning how text is stored, computer science coursework, and satisfying plain curiosity. It sits beside the other converters: the number to words converter spells a number out in English, the Roman numeral converter turns numbers into Roman numerals, and the word counter counts your writing. Everything runs in your browser with no account and nothing to install. Enter text or binary above to convert it instantly.
A Few Characters in Binary
| Character | Binary (8 bits) |
|---|---|
| A | 01000001 |
| a | 01100001 |
| Z | 01011010 |
| 0 | 00110000 |
| (space) | 00100000 |
Binary Translator Examples
| Direction | Input | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Text to Binary | A | 01000001 |
| Text to Binary | Hi | 01001000 01101001 |
| Text to Binary | SOS | 01010011 01001111 01010011 |
| Text to Binary | é | 11000011 10101001 |
| Binary to Text | 01001000 01101001 | Hi |
*Every row is produced by the same engine this page uses. The input column is the real value; the result column is what the tool returns.
Features of Our Binary Translator
Ways
Aware
Per Byte
Accents
You Type
Download
& Private
Frequently Asked Questions
Click any question to read the answer.
How do I convert text to binary?
Type or paste your text into the box with the Text to Binary direction selected, and the binary appears instantly below. Each character is turned into its UTF-8 bytes, and each byte is written as eight bits, with a space between bytes so it is easy to read. For example A becomes 01000001 and Hi becomes 01001000 01101001. You can then copy the binary or download it as a text file.
How many bits is one character?
It depends on the character. Text is encoded as UTF-8, where a basic English letter, digit or punctuation mark is a single byte, which is 8 bits. Characters outside that basic set, such as accented letters or emoji, take more than one byte, so they are 16, 24 or 32 bits. That is why the binary for an emoji is much longer than the binary for a plain letter.
Why are some characters longer in binary than others?
Because of how UTF-8 works. UTF-8 stores the most common characters, the basic Latin letters and symbols, in one byte to save space, and uses two, three or four bytes for the rest of the world's characters. An accented letter like é is two bytes, many symbols are three, and emoji are usually four. Each byte is still exactly 8 bits, so a four-byte emoji is 32 bits of binary.
How do I convert binary back to text?
Switch the tool to the Binary to Text direction and paste your binary. Spaces and new lines between the groups are ignored, so you can paste it however it is formatted. The tool groups the bits into bytes of 8, then decodes those bytes as UTF-8 to rebuild the original text. If the binary is not made of whole 8-bit groups, or contains anything other than 0 and 1, it tells you instead of guessing.
What is the difference between ASCII and UTF-8?
ASCII is an older system that covers 128 characters, the basic English letters, digits and punctuation, each in 7 bits (stored in one byte). UTF-8 is the modern standard that covers every character in every language, plus emoji. UTF-8 is designed so that those original ASCII characters keep exactly the same single-byte values, which is why A is 01000001 in both. This tool uses UTF-8, so it handles any text.
Do spaces have a binary value?
Yes. A space is a character like any other, with the UTF-8 (and ASCII) value 32, which is 00100000 in binary. So a sentence with spaces produces a binary group for each space too. When you convert binary back to text, those groups become spaces again, so the words stay separated.
Is binary the same as a computer's machine code?
Not quite. This tool shows the binary representation of text, meaning the numeric value of each character written in base 2. A computer's machine code is also binary, but it represents instructions for the processor rather than characters. They are both binary, ones and zeros, but they encode different things. Here you are seeing how text is stored as numbers.
Is my text stored when I use this tool?
No. The translator runs entirely as JavaScript inside your browser, so what you type is never uploaded, logged, or sent to a server. The page keeps working offline once it has loaded, and nothing leaves your device. You can convert private text with no privacy risk at all.