Binary translator
Type words to turn them into binary, or paste binary to turn it back into text. It works out which way to go on its own.
Put this code on a gift. It is filled in for you at checkout.
How text becomes binary
Computers store each letter as a number, using a standard called ASCII (part of UTF-8). Capital A is 65, lowercase a is 97, and a space is 32. Each number is then written in base 2 using 8 bits, so every letter becomes eight 0s and 1s.
For example, Hi is H (72) and i (105):
01001000 01101001
Emoji and accented letters take 2 to 4 bytes in UTF-8, so they turn into 16 to 32 bits.
How to read binary
Split the code into groups of 8 bits. Each group is one letter. Inside a group, the bits are worth 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 and 1 from left to right. Add up the places with a 1. So 01001000 is 64 + 8 = 72, which is H.
Questions
Is this binary translator free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, nothing you type is sent to a server, and there is no sign-up.
Why does each letter have 8 digits?
Computers group bits into bytes of 8. One byte holds a number from 0 to 255, which is enough for every English letter, digit and symbol.
Can I paste binary without spaces?
Yes. The translator splits an unbroken string into groups of 8. The total must be a multiple of 8.
Can I put my binary on a gift?
Yes. Any word up to 16 characters can be printed on a mug, tee, hoodie, phone case, card wallet or baby onesie. Use the gift buttons under the result and the code is filled in for you.