Converting ASCII to hex means taking each character of text and writing its number code in hexadecimal. The letter A has the ASCII code 65, which is 41 in hex, so the text A becomes 41. The same idea lets you convert ASCII to binary, decimal, octal, Unicode, and more, because every character is really just a number underneath. This guide covers the full set of ASCII converters and shows what each one is for.
In this guide
ASCII: every character is a number
ASCII is the standard that gives every basic character a number. The capital letter A is 65, lowercase a is 97, the digit 0 is 48, and a space is 32. Once a character is a number, it can be written in any base or encoding, which is exactly what these converters do.
So an ASCII converter is really a two-step tool: it looks up each character’s number, then writes that number in the format you asked for. The numbers come from the same table behind our guide to online converters, and they are what makes every conversion below possible.
Convert ASCII to hex, binary, decimal and octal
The most common ASCII conversions write each character’s code in a different number base. The ASCII to hex converter is the one people reach for most, since hex is the compact form used in programming and data inspection. The ASCII to binary converter shows the raw bits, and the ASCII to decimal converter gives the plain code numbers.
For the base-8 form, the ASCII to octal converter does the same job in octal. All four take the same text and differ only in how they write each character’s code.
Convert ASCII to Unicode and UTF-8
ASCII only covers basic English characters. Unicode extends that to every writing system and symbol, and UTF-8 is the encoding that stores Unicode efficiently. The ASCII to Unicode converter maps text to its Unicode code points, and the ASCII to UTF-8 converter shows how those characters are stored as bytes. These matter the moment your text includes anything beyond plain English letters.
Convert ASCII to HTML entities and Base64
Two conversions prepare text for specific destinations. The ASCII to HTML entities converter rewrites characters that have special meaning in web pages, such as the angle brackets in tags, so they display as text instead of being read as code.
The ASCII to Base64 converter packages text into the Base64 form used to carry data safely through email, URLs, and JSON. Both take ordinary text and make it safe for a place that would otherwise mangle it.
One letter, every format
The capital letter A has the ASCII code 65. In hex that is 41, in binary it is 01000001, in decimal it is 65, and in octal it is 101. Every converter above starts from that same code number and simply writes it in its own format. Nothing about the character changes, only the notation, which is why these conversions are exact and reversible.
Free ASCII converters used in this guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert ASCII to hex?
Look up each character’s ASCII code, then write that code in hexadecimal. The ASCII to hex converter does both steps for the whole text at once.
What is the ASCII code for A in hex?
The capital letter A has the ASCII code 65, which is 41 in hexadecimal.
What is the difference between ASCII and Unicode?
ASCII covers basic English characters in a single byte each. Unicode covers every writing system and symbol, and UTF-8 stores it efficiently. Use a Unicode converter when text goes beyond plain English.
Why convert text to HTML entities?
Characters like angle brackets have special meaning in web pages. Converting them to HTML entities makes them display as text rather than being read as code.
Are ASCII conversions reversible?
Yes. They only change how each character’s code is written, so the text can be converted back without any loss.