Binary Converter
Convert between binary, decimal, octal and hexadecimal number systems.
Plug in any number and instantly see it in binary, decimal, octal and hex. Whether you're debugging code or studying for a CS exam, this converter does the math so you don't have to. Just type your number, pick its base and get results in every other base right away.
Number Systems - A Quick Breakdown
- Binary (Base 2) - Just 0s and 1s. At the hardware level, computers represent data with binary states. One byte is 8 binary digits.
- Decimal (Base 10) - The everyday number system. It uses ten digits, 0 through 9.
- Octal (Base 8) - Uses digits 0-7. You'll mostly run into this when dealing with Unix file permissions like chmod 755.
- Hexadecimal (Base 16) - Uses 0-9 plus A through F. Programmers love it because each hex digit maps cleanly to 4 binary bits. That's why memory addresses and color codes use hex.
Where You'll Actually Use This
Web developers convert hex to decimal for CSS color values all the time. Network engineers need binary for IP subnetting - figuring out subnet masks like 255.255.255.0 means working in binary. Programmers deal with hex when reading memory dumps or debugging low-level code.
Quick Conversion Tips
To convert decimal to binary by hand, keep dividing by 2 and track the remainders. Read them bottom to top and that's your binary number. For hex to binary, just replace each hex digit with its 4-bit equivalent. F becomes 1111, A becomes 1010 and so on. Memorizing the powers of 2 up to 128 (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128) makes everything faster.
Common Values Worth Memorizing
A single byte holds values from 0 to 255 (or 00 to FF in hex). 2^10 is 1,024 - that's a kilobyte. 2^16 is 65,536 and 2^32 is about 4.29 billion. These numbers pop up constantly in programming.
How to Use
- Type your number into the input field.
- Select the base of your number (binary, decimal, octal or hex).
- All conversions appear instantly below.
- Click copy on the value you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use the Binary Converter?
Choose the input format, paste a value and read the converted outputs. Use it for text, binary, decimal, hex and octal checks. It is helpful for learning, debugging and quick conversions.
How do I read binary numbers?
Each position is a power of two. Add the values where the digit is 1. For example, `1010` means 8 plus 2, so the decimal value is 10.
Why does binary text output look wrong?
The bytes may not represent readable text. The encoding may also be different from UTF-8. Binary data can store files, images and compressed content. Not every byte sequence is meant to become words.
What is the difference between signed and unsigned binary?
Unsigned values only represent zero and positive numbers. Signed values reserve one bit pattern for negative numbers. The same bits can mean different values depending on the system.
Why use hex instead of binary?
Hex is shorter and easier to scan. One byte is eight binary digits but only two hex digits. Developers often use hex when binary would be too long to read.