What is hexadecimal encoding?

Hexadecimal (hex) encoding converts text characters to their hexadecimal byte representation. Each character is converted to its byte value in hex (0-9, A-F). For example, 'A' becomes '41' (ASCII 65 in hex). Hex encoding is commonly used in programming, debugging, and low-level data representation.

What's the difference between hex and Base64 encoding?

Hex encoding converts each byte to 2 hex digits (0-9, A-F), doubling the size. Base64 encoding uses 64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /) and increases size by 33%. Hex is more readable for debugging, Base64 is more compact. Use hex for debugging, Base64 for data transmission.

Can I encode Unicode characters?

Yes! The tool handles Unicode characters by encoding them as UTF-8 bytes in hexadecimal. Unicode characters may produce longer hex sequences (multiple bytes per character). The tool supports any Unicode text and converts it to hex representation correctly.

Why is hex-encoded text longer than original?

Hex encoding converts each byte to 2 hex digits, effectively doubling the size. For example, 'Hello' (5 bytes) becomes '48656c6c6f' (10 hex digits). This is normal—hex representation is always longer than original text. For more compact encoding, use Base64.

Can I decode hex strings with spaces or separators?

The tool expects continuous hex strings without separators. If your hex string has spaces, colons, or other separators, remove them before decoding. Some hex formats use separators (e.g., '48 65 6c 6c 6f') for readability—remove separators to get '48656c6c6f' for decoding.

Hex Encoder/Decoder - Encode Decode Free

When to Use This Tool

Use this when:

You need to convert text to hexadecimal format for low-level programming or debugging
You want to encode binary data or text in hexadecimal representation
You're working with hexadecimal values and need to decode them to text
You're debugging applications and need to inspect data in hex format
You want to convert text to hex for data encoding or transmission
You're working with binary data and need hexadecimal representation
You need to encode/decode text for cryptographic or encoding purposes

Don't use this if:

You need to encode URLs or web content (use URL encoder)
You require Base64 encoding for data transmission (use Base64 encoder)
You want to encode HTML entities (use HTML entity encoder)
You need to encode binary files or images (use Base64 or file encoders)
You require encoding for specific protocols or formats not supported

What is a Hex Encoder/Decoder?

A hex encoder/decoder converts text and binary data to hexadecimal representation and back. Our tool processes all conversions in your browser — your data never leaves your device.

Hexadecimal encoding is fundamental in computing and cybersecurity: viewing raw binary data in a readable format, debugging network packets, analyzing file headers and magic bytes, encoding data for protocols that require hex input, and understanding low-level data representations.

This tool is essential for software developers debugging binary protocols and data formats, security researchers analyzing malware samples and network traffic, embedded systems engineers working with hardware registers and memory addresses, network engineers inspecting packet captures, and students learning about data representation and encoding.

Compared to using command-line tools like xxd or hexdump (which require terminal access and differ between operating systems), programming language hex functions (which require a development environment), or online encoders that may log your data, PureXio provides instant bidirectional hex encoding/decoding in a clean browser interface.

The tool supports text-to-hex and hex-to-text conversion, handles Unicode characters correctly, offers multiple hex format options (space-separated, colon-separated, continuous), displays both ASCII and hex views side by side, and can process file inputs for binary-to-hex conversion.

Best for: converting between text/binary and hexadecimal. Multiple hex formats, Unicode support, bidirectional conversion. 100% browser-based.

How to Encode/Decode Hexadecimal

Select mode: 'Encode' to convert text to hexadecimal, or 'Decode' to convert hexadecimal to text. Paste or enter your text or hex string in the input field

Click 'Encode to Hex' or 'Decode from Hex' to convert. Encoding converts each character to its hexadecimal representation (e.g., 'A' becomes '41'). Decoding converts hex back to text

Review the encoded or decoded result. Copy the result to clipboard. Use hex-encoded text for programming, debugging, or data encoding. Use decoded text to see original content

Common Use Cases

Low-level programming: Convert text to hex for binary data manipulation or debugging

Data encoding: Encode text to hex for data transmission or storage

Debugging: Inspect text data in hexadecimal format for debugging applications

Binary data representation: Convert binary data to readable hex format

Cryptographic operations: Encode text to hex for cryptographic functions or hashing

Network protocols: Encode data to hex for network protocol debugging or analysis

File analysis: Convert file contents to hex for binary file analysis or inspection

Features

Encode text to hexadecimal format (each character to hex bytes)

Decode hexadecimal strings back to original text

Handle Unicode characters and special characters in hex encoding

Bidirectional conversion—encode and decode in either direction

Real-time conversion—results update as you change inputs

Support for any text content including Unicode and binary data representation

100% private—all processing happens in your browser

Limitations & Constraints

Hex encoding increases text size—each character becomes 2 hex digits (doubles size)

Very long texts may produce very long hex strings—may be impractical for display

Hex encoding is for text representation—doesn't handle binary files directly

Unicode characters may produce longer hex sequences (UTF-8 encoding)

Doesn't validate hex format—invalid hex strings may cause decoding errors

Troubleshooting

Hex encoding fails or shows error

Solution: Check that input text is valid. Hex encoding should work with any text. If encoding fails, try copying text again or check for invalid characters. Ensure you selected correct mode (encode vs decode). Some very long texts may cause issues—try shorter text. Prevention: Use valid text input and correct mode selection.

Hex decoding fails or shows error

Solution: Hex decoding requires valid hexadecimal format (0-9, A-F characters). If decoding fails, check that hex string is valid. Remove spaces, colons, or other separators if present. Hex strings should contain only hex characters (0-9, A-F, a-f). Invalid hex causes decoding errors. Prevention: Ensure hex string is valid before decoding.

Decoded text looks wrong or corrupted

Solution: Hex decoding converts hex bytes to text. If text looks wrong, the hex string may be invalid or corrupted. Check that hex string is complete and valid. Ensure hex string represents valid text encoding (UTF-8). Invalid hex sequences produce incorrect text. Prevention: Verify hex string is valid and complete before decoding.

Hex string has spaces or separators

Solution: Hex strings should contain only hex characters (0-9, A-F). Remove spaces, colons (:), or other separators before decoding. Some hex formats use separators for readability—remove them for decoding. The tool expects continuous hex string without separators. Prevention: Clean hex string (remove separators) before decoding.

Hex-encoded text is very long

Solution: Hex encoding doubles text size (each character = 2 hex digits). Very long text produces very long hex strings. This is normal—hex representation is larger than original text. For very long texts, hex strings may be impractical to display or use. Consider using Base64 encoding for more compact representation. Prevention: Understand that hex encoding increases text size significantly.