Free Hex Converter — Convert Hexadecimal to Text, Binary & Decimal Online

What Is a Hex Converter?

A hex converter (hexadecimal converter) is a free online tool that translates values between the hexadecimal number system (base-16) and other common formats — including text (ASCII/UTF-8), binary (base-2), decimal (base-10), and octal (base-8). Hexadecimal uses digits 0–9 and letters A–F to represent values, making it a compact and readable way to express binary data.

Why Hexadecimal Conversion Is Important

Hexadecimal is everywhere in computing and web development:

• Color codes — CSS hex colors like #FF5733 define web design palettes
• Memory addresses — debuggers and system tools display memory locations in hex
• MAC addresses — network device identifiers use hex notation (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E)
• Character encoding — Unicode code points and URL-encoded characters use hex
• Cryptography — hash values (MD5, SHA-256) are displayed as hex strings

Types of Hex Conversions

Hex to Text (ASCII/UTF-8)

Each pair of hex digits represents one byte. For example, 48 65 6C 6C 6F converts to "Hello". This is essential for reading encoded data, URL parameters, and protocol payloads.

Hex to Binary

Each hex digit maps to exactly 4 binary bits. The hex value A3 becomes 10100011 in binary. This direct mapping makes hex the preferred shorthand for binary data.

Hex to Decimal

Hex values convert to base-10 by multiplying each digit by its positional power of 16. For example, 1F = (1 × 16) + (15 × 1) = 31 in decimal.

How to Use Our Hex Converter

1. Navigate to the Hex Converter tool above
2. Enter your hexadecimal string or text/binary/decimal value
3. Choose the desired conversion direction
4. Click Convert to get instant results
5. Copy the output for use in your code, design, or analysis

Common Use Cases

• Web design — converting between hex color codes and RGB values
• Debugging — reading hex dumps from memory, files, or network packets
• Cryptography — working with hash outputs and encryption keys
• Data encoding — decoding URL-encoded strings and escape sequences
• Embedded systems — programming microcontrollers and reading register values

Best Practices

• Use spaces between hex pairs for readability (48 65 6C 6C 6F)
• Remove the 0x prefix before converting — most tools expect raw hex digits
• Check case sensitivity — hex is case-insensitive (A = a), but some systems prefer uppercase
• Verify byte boundaries — each character needs exactly 2 hex digits

Related Tools

Explore more free conversion tools:

• Binary Converter — convert binary to text, decimal, and hex
• ASCII Converter — translate text to ASCII codes
• Decimal Converter — convert decimal to binary, hex, and octal
• MD5 Generator — generate MD5 hashes displayed in hex
• Color Picker — pick colors and get hex codes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hexadecimal?

Hexadecimal (hex) is a base-16 number system that uses digits 0–9 and letters A–F. It provides a human-friendly way to represent binary data — each hex digit corresponds to exactly 4 binary bits.

Why do programmers use hexadecimal?

Hex is more compact and readable than binary. A single byte (8 bits) can be written as just 2 hex digits instead of 8 binary digits. This makes it ideal for memory addresses, color codes, and encoded data.

How do I convert hex to decimal?

Multiply each hex digit by 16 raised to its position (right to left, starting at 0). Sum the results. For example: 2F = (2 × 16¹) + (15 × 16⁰) = 32 + 15 = 47.

What does 0x mean before a hex number?

The 0x prefix is a convention in programming languages (C, JavaScript, Python) to indicate that the following digits are hexadecimal, not decimal. For example, 0xFF represents the decimal value 255.