How ASCII Codes Represent Characters
ASCII assigns a number to each basic character, which is how early computers stored text. This guide explains the code ranges for letters, digits, and control characters.
What is the ASCII Converter?
ASCII Converter translates between characters and their decimal codes. Encoding lists one code per character, separated by spaces, and decoding turns a space- or comma-separated list of codes back into readable text, flagging any code outside 0 to 255.
How to use it
- Type text or ASCII codes into the box.
- Choose the conversion direction.
- Click Convert and copy the result.
Worked example
For 'Hi!' in Text to ASCII codes mode, the output is '72 105 33'.
Why does ASCII only cover 128 characters?
ASCII was designed in the 1960s for American English, so it needed just letters, digits, punctuation, and control codes. Modern text uses Unicode instead, which extends the same idea to every writing system.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ASCII code for the letter A?
65. Lowercase a is 97, the digit 0 is 48, and a space is 32.
Can I separate codes with commas?
Yes. Decoding accepts codes separated by spaces, commas, or a mix of both.