CONVERTERS
Hex / Base16 Encoder & Decoder
Convert UTF-8 text to hexadecimal bytes and decode hex back to text.
BYTE REPRESENTATION
Convert hex locally
Hex conversion happens in your browser and is never uploaded.
Hex encoder and decoder guide
Hexadecimal, or Base16, represents each byte with two characters from 00 to FF. This tool converts UTF-8 text to hex and decodes pairs of hex digits back into UTF-8 text, with optional spaces, colons, or hyphens between bytes.
Hex is a representation of bytes, not automatically readable text. Hashes, compressed data, and encrypted bytes may be valid hex but should not be treated as text.
Text becomes UTF-8 bytes
ASCII characters occupy one UTF-8 byte, while characters such as é and emoji occupy multiple bytes. The encoder shows those actual bytes, so the output length depends on UTF-8 rather than the number of visible characters.
Hex is common, but context matters
- Debugging byte sequences and network payloads.
- Displaying hashes and checksums in a compact form.
- Representing colour channels, memory values, and binary file data.
- Inspecting Unicode and protocol data when the byte boundaries matter.
Valid hex is not necessarily decodable text
The decoder requires complete byte pairs and strict hexadecimal digits, then attempts UTF-8 decoding. If the bytes are not valid UTF-8, that is useful information: the value may be binary data or another encoding.
Frequently asked questions
How many hex digits represent one byte?
Two. Each hexadecimal digit represents four bits, so two digits represent eight bits (one byte).
Can I paste spaced hex?
Yes. Spaces, colons, and hyphens are ignored between byte pairs, but the remaining digits must be valid and have an even length.
Is hex encryption?
No. Hex is a reversible representation of bytes and provides no confidentiality.
Privacy note: hex conversion happens in your browser. Your input is not submitted to NAB Tools.