Morse Code Image Decoder

Upload a photo or screenshot of Morse code. We scan the image, detect the dots and dashes, and convert them to text instantly — 100% in your browser.

What Is the Morse Code Image Decoder?

The Morse Code Image Decoder is a free browser-based tool that reads photographs, screenshots, and scanned images containing Morse code and converts the dots and dashes into readable text — instantly, with no server upload required. All processing happens locally on your device using HTML5 Canvas and JavaScript image analysis.

Unlike audio Morse decoders that listen to sound signals, this tool works with visual representations of Morse code — printed charts, handwritten notes, tattoos, puzzle clues, telegraph tape photographs, and anything else where Morse code appears as a visible pattern of dots and dashes in an image.

The decoder supports four image types: graphic dot-and-dash symbols, text-based Morse using period and hyphen characters, printed or typed Morse code, and handwritten patterns. The engine converts the image to grayscale, applies a contrast threshold to separate signal from background, detects connected dark regions, classifies them as dots or dashes based on their proportions, and decodes the sequence against the International Morse Code table.

Drop an image here or click to browse

Photo, screenshot, or scan of Morse code — dots, dashes, or text symbols

image.png
View:
💡 Best results: Clear images with good contrast. Black dots/dashes on white background work best. Avoid blurry or low-contrast images. Text-based Morse (using . and -) decodes most reliably.
⚙ Decoder Settings
5
128
Analyzing image… 0%
① Load image ② Preprocess ③ Detect symbols ④ Classify dots/dashes ⑤ Decode text
Detected Characters
Detected Morse Code
Decoded Text

📸 Tips for Getting the Best Decode Results

Use Good Lighting

Take photos in bright, even light. Shadows across dots and dashes confuse the detector. Natural daylight or a desk lamp pointed directly at the subject gives the best results.

Shoot Straight-On

Angle distortion makes dots look elongated or dashes appear shorter. Hold the camera parallel to the surface. For tattoos, stretch the skin flat and photograph from directly above.

Crop Tightly

Before uploading, crop the image so the Morse code fills most of the frame. Decorative borders, background patterns, and surrounding text can interfere with symbol detection.

High Contrast Works Best

Black ink on white paper or dark symbols on a light background decode most reliably. For low-contrast images, use the Contrast Boost and Threshold sliders to improve separation.

Use PNG for Screenshots

PNG format preserves pixel-perfect detail. JPG compression adds artifacts around sharp edges like dots and dashes, which reduces decoding accuracy. Save screenshots as PNG when possible.

Adjust the Threshold

If results look wrong, switch to Threshold view and adjust the slider until dots and dashes appear as solid black shapes on a clean white background — then click Decode again.

What Images Can It Decode?

The decoder handles several common Morse code image formats.

Dot & Dash Symbols

Black dots and longer dashes on a light background — the most common visual Morse format.

Text-Based Morse

Screenshots or printouts using period (.) and hyphen (-) characters to represent signals.

Printed Charts

Scanned Morse code charts, cheat sheets, or reference cards from books and handbooks.

Handwritten

Handwritten dots and dashes with reasonable contrast — works best with clear pen/marker strokes.

Decoding Morse Code Tattoos

Morse code tattoos are among the most popular minimalist tattoo styles. A name, date, or short phrase encoded as dots and dashes creates a clean geometric design that most people cannot immediately read, giving it a personal and private quality. If you have a Morse code tattoo or have seen one and want to know what it says, photograph it in good lighting and upload the image here.

Take the photo straight-on with good contrast between the ink and skin. Avoid shadows across the dots and dashes. Black ink on light skin gives the best contrast and highest decoding accuracy.

Decoding Morse in Escape Rooms and Puzzles

Morse code appears frequently in escape rooms, puzzle hunts, ARGs (alternate reality games), and video games. If you encounter a Morse code clue — printed on a card, shown on a screen, or drawn on a prop — take a screenshot and upload it here to decode it instantly.

Popular video games and TV shows use Morse code as a puzzle element in survival games, mystery thrillers, and military simulations. When Morse code appears on screen briefly and you cannot transcribe it quickly enough by hand, pause and screenshot the frame, then upload the image here for instant decoding.

Historical Telegraph Tape

The image decoder can also read historical telegraph tape — paper rolls that early telegraph machines used to record incoming messages as embossed or printed dots and dashes. High-quality photographs of these tapes can often be decoded here, helping researchers and historians read historical messages without manually transcribing every character.

Decoding Morse Code in Books and Print

Many military handbooks, scouting manuals, cryptography books, and educational materials include Morse code charts and encoded examples. The "Printed / Typed Morse" mode is optimised for this use case — it treats period (.) and hyphen (-) characters as signal symbols rather than looking for graphical dot-and-dash shapes.

Privacy — Your Images Stay on Your Device

All image processing in this decoder runs entirely inside your web browser using JavaScript and the HTML5 Canvas API. Your uploaded image is never sent to any server, never stored, and never logged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I decode a Morse code tattoo from a photo?

Yes — take a clear photo in good lighting and upload it. The decoder identifies the dot-dash pattern and converts it to text. Shoot straight-on to avoid distortion, and ensure good contrast between ink and skin for best accuracy.

What image formats are supported?

JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, and BMP are all supported. PNG screenshots give the best results for text-based Morse images because PNG preserves sharp edges without compression artifacts.

Is my image uploaded to a server?

No — all image processing runs locally in your browser using JavaScript. Images are never uploaded, stored, or transmitted anywhere.

Can this decode Morse in a video?

The tool supports still images. For Morse code in a video — such as a flashing light or a visual signal — use your device's screenshot function to capture a single frame showing the Morse pattern, then upload that image here.

Why is the decoded text showing question marks?

Question marks appear when the decoder detects a signal it cannot match to a known Morse code character. This usually means the dot-dash classification is off — try adjusting the Contrast Boost slider upward and lower the Threshold value slightly, then decode again.

What is the maximum image size?

The decoder accepts images up to 20 MB. Images wider than 800 pixels are scaled down proportionally for display, but the original resolution is used for processing to maintain accuracy.

Can it decode multi-line Morse code?

The current version works best with single-line horizontal Morse code. For multi-line images, crop each line separately and decode them one at a time for the most accurate results.

Does it work on mobile phones?

Yes — the decoder is fully mobile-compatible. You can use the "Take Photo with Camera" button to open your phone's camera directly and photograph a Morse code image in real time.

How accurate is the image decoder?

Accuracy depends heavily on image quality. Text-based Morse code (using typed . and - characters) in a clear screenshot typically decodes at close to 100% accuracy. Photographic images of printed or handwritten dot-dash symbols typically achieve 80–95% accuracy under good conditions.

How the Image Decoder Works

Advanced image processing detects Morse code patterns entirely in your browser — no server, no data sent.

Load Image

Your image is loaded into an HTML5 Canvas entirely in the browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

Grayscale & Threshold

The image is converted to grayscale, then a threshold splits pixels into black (signal) vs white (background).

Detect Symbols

Connected dark regions are identified and their bounding boxes measured — each region is a potential dot or dash.

Classify Dots & Dashes

Regions are classified as dots or dashes based on their aspect ratio and width relative to median symbol size.

Decode to Text

Gaps between symbols are analyzed to group them into letters and words, then matched against the Morse table.