Binary Converter
Convert between binary and text, decimal, or hexadecimal instantly.
Text ↔ Binary
Decimal ↔ Binary
Hexadecimal ↔ Binary
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are text characters represented as 8 bits?+
One byte (8 bits) can represent 256 distinct values (0–255), which is enough to cover the 128 ASCII characters and leave room for extended character sets. This tool converts each character to its ASCII code point, then displays that as an 8-bit binary string.
What is the difference between binary and hexadecimal?+
Binary (base 2) uses only the digits 0 and 1. Hexadecimal (base 16) uses digits 0–9 and letters A–F. Since 16 = 2⁴, every hex digit maps exactly to 4 binary bits, making hex a compact way to represent binary data.
Can this tool handle very large numbers?+
Yes. The decimal and hex converters use JavaScript's BigInt, which supports arbitrarily large integers with no upper bound. Numbers that would overflow a 64-bit integer are handled correctly.
Why is hexadecimal so common in programming?+
Hex is a compact, human-readable way to express binary values. A byte (8 bits) takes up 8 characters in binary but only 2 in hex. Memory addresses, color codes, file headers, and network packets are all typically shown in hex because it is shorter than binary and maps directly to binary without any arithmetic.
How to use
- Text ↔ Binary: type text to get 8-bit binary per character, or paste binary to decode it.
- Decimal ↔ Binary: enter any non-negative integer to see its binary representation, or type binary to get the decimal value.
- Hex ↔ Binary: enter a hex value (with or without 0x) to convert to binary, or the reverse.
- All conversions are bidirectional and update as you type.