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Text to Binary Converter

The binary converter translates UTF-8 text into binary, hexadecimal, octal or decimal byte values and converts any of those representations back into text. It is useful for teaching character encoding and for decoding values found in logs.

Options
Input 0 characters
Result

Your result will appear here.

Not sure where to start? Use Load example.

Results update automatically and are calculated on your device. Nothing you type is sent to a server.

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How to use the Text to Binary Converter

  1. Type or paste your text, or paste the numeric values you want to decode.
  2. Choose the direction and the number base.
  3. Pick a separator that matches the format you are working with.
  4. Copy the result.

Example

Input
Hi
Output
Binary: 01001000 01101001    Hex: 48 69

Common use cases

  • Teaching or learning how characters are stored as bytes.
  • Decoding a hex or binary string found in a log or a protocol dump.
  • Producing byte values to paste into an embedded-systems test.

Limitations and things to watch for

  • Text is encoded as UTF-8, so characters outside ASCII produce more than one byte. The euro sign, for example, is three bytes. This matches how text is stored on disk and transmitted over a network.
  • When decoding, values must be valid bytes (0–255) in the chosen base, and the resulting byte sequence must be valid UTF-8; otherwise a clear error is shown rather than mangled output.
  • Binary is not encryption or encoding for secrecy — anyone can convert it straight back.

Frequently asked questions

Why does one character produce several bytes?
Because the text is encoded as UTF-8. ASCII characters take one byte, most accented and Greek characters take two, and most CJK characters and emoji take three or four.
Can I decode a binary string without separators?
Yes, provided the values are padded to a fixed width — eight digits per byte for binary, two for hex. Without padding or separators the boundaries are ambiguous.
Is binary a form of encryption?
No. It is just a different way of writing the same bytes, and anyone can convert it back instantly. Use real encryption for anything that must stay private.

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