Binary converters
Binary to text converter.
01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 decodes to Hello. Split the bits into bytes of 8, then read each byte as a character code.
Input
Result
Paste binary code to decode it.
How to binary to text by hand
Cut the binary into groups of 8 bits. Convert each group to a number (01001000 is 72), then look up that character code (72 is H). Join the characters in order.
Spaces, commas, line breaks and 0b prefixes are ignored. If the bit count is not a multiple of 8, or the bytes are not valid UTF-8, the converter says so instead of guessing.
Worked examples
| Binary | Text |
|---|---|
01001000 01101001 | Hi |
01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 | Hello |
01010011 01001111 01010011 | SOS |
11000011 10101001 | é |
Need text, decimal and hex side by side? Use the full binary converter, or look a character up in the ASCII table.
Sources: RFC 20, ASCII format for network interchange and RFC 3629, UTF-8.
Binary to text FAQ
How do you convert binary to text?
Split the bits into bytes of 8, convert each byte to a number, then look up the character for that number. 01001000 is 72, which is H.
Do the bits need spaces between bytes?
No. 0100100001101001 and 01001000 01101001 both decode to Hi. The total length must be a multiple of 8.
Why do I get a "not valid UTF-8" error?
The bytes do not form legal UTF-8 text, for example a lone byte above 127. Check for a missing or extra bit earlier in the string.
Can it decode accents and euro signs?
Yes. 11000011 10101001 is é and 11100010 10000010 10101100 is €, because the decoder reads UTF-8, not only ASCII.