How to use the Binary to Text Converter
Paste 8-bit bytes separated by spaces. The decoded text appears below.
How binary is decoded to text
Each group of eight bits is read as a number from 0 to 255, and that number is looked up as a character code. 01001000 is 72, which is H, and 01101001 is 105, which is i, so the pair reads Hi.
If the output looks wrong
Check that every group has exactly eight digits, that only 0 and 1 are used and that the groups are separated by spaces. A missing or extra bit shifts every following byte and turns the rest of the message into the wrong characters.
Code points and UTF-8 encoding
Every Unicode character has a number called a code point. Basic letters, digits and punctuation have code points below 128, so one byte is enough: 01101100 01101100 01101111 reads llo. Accented letters, other scripts and emoji need two to four bytes in UTF-8 encoding, so a single é is written as 11000011 10101001. This binary to text translator follows those character encoding rules, which is why it can convert binary to text in any language.
Going the other way
To turn words into binary numbers, use the text to binary converter. It writes each byte as eight digits separated by spaces, in the same format this page reads, so you can check a text conversion by running it in both directions.
How it works
Each group of 8 bits is one byte; bytes are decoded as UTF-8.
Examples
- 01001000 01101001 00100001
Hi!
- 01000001
A
Binary to text table
| Binary | Character |
|---|---|
| 01000001 | A |
| 01000010 | B |
| 01011010 | Z |
| 01100001 | a |
| 01111010 | z |
| 00110000 | 0 |
| 00111001 | 9 |
| 00100001 | ! |
| 00111111 | ? |
| 01000000 | @ |
Limitations and assumptions
Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
What does 01001000 01101001 mean?
Hi. The two bytes are the character codes 72 (H) and 105 (i).
Why does binary text use eight digits per letter?
A byte has eight bits, and standard character sets store each basic letter, digit and symbol in one byte.
Is a binary translator the same as a binary to text converter?
Yes. Both names describe the same job: reading 8-bit binary codes as letters, numbers and symbols.
How do I convert text to binary?
Use the text to binary converter, which writes each character as an 8-bit byte.