Morse Code Audio Decoder
Tips for Clear Audio Decoding
A Morse code audio decoder works best with a clean recording. The decoder listens for a tone, measures each burst of sound, and sorts short bursts into dots and long bursts into dashes. Anything else in the recording, such as music, speech, hum, or static, can confuse that measurement. The single biggest improvement you can make is to start with a quiet, steady recording: record in a silent room, keep the tone at one pitch and one volume, and avoid holding the microphone near a fan or a keyboard.
A short, clean recording beats a long, noisy one every time.
Two controls on this page fine-tune the result. The threshold slider tells the decoder how loud a sound must be before it counts as a signal; if the output is full of extra dots, raise the threshold so quiet noise is ignored, and if real signals are missing, lower it. The WPM slider tells the decoder roughly how fast the code was sent; setting it close to the true speed helps the decoder tell dots from dashes and split letters correctly.
If you do not know the speed, start at 13 WPM, decode, and adjust up or down until the text reads sensibly. Short test clips of one word are a fast way to dial in both settings before you decode a longer file.
File choice matters too. The decoder accepts WAV, MP3, OGG, and M4A files up to 10 MB. WAV files give the cleanest result because they are uncompressed, while a low-bitrate MP3 can smear the edges of each tone. If a file decodes badly, try exporting it as WAV, trimming silence from the start and end, and removing any background music. For live sound, use the live Morse code decoder instead, and for written dots and dashes use the Morse code to text decoder. The Morse code machine can generate a clean test file for practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a Morse code audio decoder work?
A Morse code audio decoder analyzes a sound file, measures each tone burst, and sorts short bursts into dots and long bursts into dashes. It uses the gaps between bursts to split letters and words, then prints the decoded text. The whole process runs in your browser. Learn more about the code in the Morse code article on Wikipedia.
What audio formats can a Morse code audio decoder read?
This decoder accepts WAV, MP3, OGG, and M4A files up to 10 MB. WAV files give the cleanest result because they are uncompressed. If an MP3 decodes badly, try exporting the same audio as a WAV file.
Why does my Morse code audio decoder show wrong letters?
Wrong letters usually come from background noise, an incorrect threshold, or a WPM setting far from the true speed. Raise the threshold to ignore noise, set the WPM close to the real speed, and test with a short clean clip. If the recording has music or speech, decode a trimmed, quieter version.
What does the threshold setting do in a Morse code audio decoder?
The threshold sets how loud a sound must be before the decoder counts it as a signal. A higher threshold ignores quiet background noise, while a lower threshold catches faint signals. Adjust it until the decoder catches every real tone and ignores the noise between tones.
Can a Morse code audio decoder decode a song or a voice recording?
Not reliably. The decoder expects a single steady tone carrying Morse code. Music and speech contain many tones at once, so the decoder cannot separate the code from the rest. For voice or music recordings, isolate the Morse tone first or use a cleaner source. The ITU publishes the international Morse code standard that defines these tones.
Is my uploaded audio file stored on a server?
No. The audio is processed in your browser and is never uploaded to a server or stored. Your file stays on your device, and you can close the page when you are done. See our privacy policy for details on what the site collects.
