Convert hexadecimal code to readable text.
Decode hexadecimal strings (base-16) into human-readable ASCII or Unicode text. Useful for analyzing hex dumps, debugging binary data, and converting hex-encoded strings from databases, APIs, or log files.
Convert hexadecimal code to readable text.
48656C6C6F
49 73 74 61 6E 62 75 6C
Hexadecimal (base-16) to text conversion translates hex-encoded strings like '48656C6C6F' into readable text ('Hello') by interpreting pairs of hex digits as ASCII or Unicode character codes. Each pair of hex digits represents one byte: '48' is 72 in decimal (the ASCII code for 'H'), '65' is 101 ('e'), and so on. Hexadecimal notation uses 0-9 and A-F to represent values 0-15, making it a compact way to represent binary data—each hex digit corresponds to exactly 4 bits, so two hex digits represent one 8-bit byte.
Hex encoding is ubiquitous in low-level computing contexts. Memory dumps, network packet captures, and binary file formats often display data in hexadecimal because it is more human-readable than raw binary (01001000 vs 48) while maintaining a direct one-to-one mapping with binary values. Converting hex to text reveals embedded strings in binary files, decodes hex-encoded database fields, or interprets URL-encoded hex sequences (%48%65%6C%6C%6F) back to their original text form.
The decoder expects hex input as continuous strings (48656C6C6F) or space-separated pairs (48 65 6C 6C 6F). Each pair is converted from base-16 to base-10 (decimal), then mapped to its corresponding ASCII or Unicode character. For ASCII text, this is straightforward—values 32-126 cover printable characters. For Unicode, the tool may handle multi-byte sequences (UTF-8 encoding), where characters like emoji or Chinese glyphs require 2-4 bytes. Proper hex-to-text conversion must account for these encoding variations to avoid garbled output.
Debugging binary files and network traffic requires hex-to-text conversion to extract human-readable strings from hex dumps. When analyzing network packets with tools like Wireshark, payload data is displayed in hexadecimal. Converting hex sections to text reveals HTTP headers, JSON responses, or error messages embedded in the traffic. For example, a hex dump of an HTTP response might show '48 54 54 50 2F 31 2E 31', which decodes to 'HTTP/1.1'—immediately clarifying the protocol version.
Database systems store binary data in hexadecimal format for efficiency and portability. Hex-encoded strings in database fields (e.g., BLOB columns in MySQL or bytea in PostgreSQL) can be exported as hex strings that need decoding to recover the original text. When migrating databases, troubleshooting encoding issues, or analyzing legacy data, converting hex values back to text ensures that you can read stored content without specialized database tools.
Security analysis and reverse engineering rely on hex-to-text conversion to uncover hidden messages or commands in compiled binaries. Malware often hides command-and-control server addresses, API keys, or configuration strings in hex-encoded form to evade simple string searches. Security researchers use hex-to-text decoders to scan binary executables for these strings, revealing URLs, passwords, or malicious payloads that would otherwise remain obscured. This technique is essential for threat intelligence and vulnerability research.
Invalid hex characters (G-Z, special symbols) cause decoding errors because hexadecimal only uses 0-9 and A-F. If the input contains characters outside this range, the decoder cannot parse it as valid hex. Always validate input with a regex like /^[0-9A-Fa-fs]+$/ before decoding. If the source data contains unexpected characters, it may be Base64, Base32, or another encoding—not hexadecimal. Use encoding detection tools to identify the correct format before attempting conversion.
Odd-length hex strings cannot be decoded correctly because each byte requires exactly two hex digits. If the input has 7 characters (e.g., '48656C6C6'), the last digit is incomplete and will be ignored or cause errors. Always ensure that hex input has an even number of characters. If working with truncated data, pad the string with a leading zero (048656C6C6) or investigate why the source data is incomplete—it may indicate data corruption or transmission errors.
Non-ASCII hex data may produce garbled text if the tool assumes ASCII encoding. Unicode characters encoded in UTF-8 require multi-byte sequences: the hex for a Chinese character like 你 is 'E4BDA0' (three bytes). Decoding this as individual ASCII characters produces nonsense because each byte is interpreted separately. If the decoded text contains unusual symbols or replacement characters (�), the source is likely UTF-8 or another multi-byte encoding. Use a UTF-8 aware hex-to-text decoder to handle international characters correctly.
Validate hex input format rigorously before decoding to prevent runtime errors. Check that the string contains only valid hex characters (0-9, A-F, a-f) and has an even length. Use regular expressions and length checks in your validation logic. For production systems, log invalid hex inputs for debugging rather than silently failing or returning partial results. Clear error messages ('Invalid hex character: G' or 'Odd-length hex string') help users correct input formatting issues quickly.
Preserve whitespace handling flexibility to support various hex dump formats. Some hex sources use spaces between byte pairs (48 65 6C 6C 6F), others use colons (48:65:6C:6C:6F), and some have no separators (48656C6C6F). Write decoders that strip all non-hex characters before processing, or provide options for different separator styles. This flexibility ensures that your tool works with hex dumps from different sources without requiring manual reformatting.
Test with both ASCII and Unicode hex samples to ensure proper character encoding support. For ASCII-only applications, decoding is straightforward. For international or emoji-supporting apps, verify that the tool correctly handles UTF-8 multi-byte sequences. If building a production hex decoder, document the supported encoding (ASCII, UTF-8, UTF-16) and provide clear error messages when unsupported encodings are detected. For security analysis, maintain both hex and decoded text in logs to enable forensic review of malicious payloads.
