Decode hexadecimal bytes into text. Inspect hex strings from examples, logs, and text encodings with a readable result.
How to use
Paste complete byte pairs with spaces or without them. The decoder accepts hexadecimal digits and requires valid UTF8 bytes.
Example
48 69 becomes Hi. C3 A9 becomes é because that letter uses two UTF8 bytes.
FAQ
Why does a valid hex string fail?
The bytes can be valid hexadecimal but invalid UTF8. Binary files and text from other encodings need a different decoder.
Related tools
A practical task
For a log sample, first remove labels such as address offsets from the byte sequence. 4f 4b decodes to OK. A longer dump can contain headers or binary data that are valid bytes but not a text message.
Another useful question
Should I add a 0x prefix to every byte?
No. Enter hexadecimal byte pairs in the supported plain form. Extra prefixes and separators other than whitespace are not part of this decoder's input.
Details for interpreting the result
| Detail | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Hexadecimal notation | Hexadecimal uses digits 0 through 9 and letters A through F. Letter case does not change the byte value. Text stored as hex still needs a character encoding before its bytes can be read as words. |
| A complete byte | A byte holds a value from 0 through 255. Binary writes that value with eight digits; hexadecimal writes it with two. Leading zeros are part of that fixed width representation and must stay in place. |
| UTF8 bytes | UTF8 encodes characters as bytes. Basic Latin letters use one byte each, while many accented letters and other scripts use more. A byte count therefore differs from a visible character count. |
| Code points | A Unicode code point identifies a character or a component of one. A letter followed by a combining accent contains two code points even when the screen displays one accented letter. |
| Encoding and encryption | Encoding changes how data is represented so another system can read it. It does not require a secret key. Encryption protects information with a key, while hashing produces a digest for a different purpose. |
| Similar looking text | Two strings can look identical but use different Unicode sequences. An accented letter can be stored directly or as a letter plus an accent. Visual similarity alone does not establish byte equality. |
| Line endings | A line break can use LF or CRLF. They look similar in an editor but contain different characters. Byte comparisons and checksums depend on the exact representation, including a final line break. |
| Binary notation | Binary uses only 0 and 1. Keep byte boundaries intact when inspecting encoded text. A missing digit shifts the following bits, so a string of plausible looking zeros and ones can still fail decoding. |