Code
Binary to Text Converter
Have a string of ones and zeros and want to know what it says? Paste it here. This decoder reads 8-bit binary and turns it straight back into readable text.
Result appears here
It works entirely on your device. Separate each byte with a space and the message appears as you paste.
How the Binary to Text works
Each 8-digit group is read as a base-2 number. That number is looked up in the character set and replaced by the matching letter, digit or symbol.
The tool splits on spaces, so as long as each byte is separated by whitespace it will decode cleanly, even across multiple lines.
Examples
Binary to Text chart
Every letter at a glance. Use it to read or write by hand.
History and origins
Decoding binary is simply reversing the storage step every computer performs. The ASCII table that assigns a number to each character has been stable since the 1960s, so old binary decodes the same as new binary.
People most often meet raw binary in puzzles, escape rooms and programming exercises, where a hidden message is written out as bytes to be cracked.
Frequently asked questions
My binary will not decode, what is wrong?
Check that each group has exactly 8 digits and that groups are separated by spaces. Stray characters or missing spaces are the usual cause of garbled output.
Can it read binary without spaces?
This decoder expects spaces between bytes so the boundaries are unambiguous. If your binary has no spaces, insert one every eight digits first.
Learn more
Go deeper on the ideas behind this tool.