About the Braille Translator
Braille is a system of raised dots that blind and partially sighted people read by touch. Each braille cell has six dots in two columns, and the pattern of dots stands for a letter, number or sign. This translator turns English text into uncontracted braille, also called Grade 1, using the Unicode braille characters so it can be copied into documents, emails and websites. It adds the capital sign before capital letters, a double capital sign before words in capitals and the number sign before numbers. The reverse direction reads braille characters back into text. It does not produce contracted (Grade 2) braille, which uses shortcuts, and it is not a replacement for a braille embosser or an official transcriber.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Braille Translator
- 1Choose text to braille or braille to text.
- 2Type or paste your text.
- 3Read the result on the right.
- 4Press Copy to paste the braille elsewhere.
- 5Check the note for characters that could not be converted.
How a braille cell works
A cell has six positions, numbered one to three down the left and four to six down the right. The letter a is dot 1 alone. The letters b to j add dots from the top two rows, so b is dots 1 and 2, and c is dots 1 and 4. The letters k to t repeat a to j with dot 3 added, and u, v, x, y and z add dots 3 and 6. The letter w is out of order because it was added later.
Numbers 1 to 9 and 0 reuse the letters a to j and are marked by the number sign. So 12 is the number sign followed by the symbols for a and b.
Good to know
- Braille is a code, not a language. It can write English, Spanish, Hindi and many more.
- Unicode braille uses the characters from U+2800, with 256 patterns.
- A blank cell stands for a space.
- Punctuation signs share some patterns with letters, so context matters.
- Contracted braille is used in most books and signs; this tool makes the uncontracted form.
Related tools
Explore other ways of writing messages with the Morse Code Translator and the Binary Translator, or spell out letters clearly with the NATO Phonetic Alphabet Converter. The Case Converter changes capitals before you translate. Always ask a certified transcriber for important braille documents.
Features
- Text to braille and braille to text
- Letters, numbers and common punctuation
- Capital and number signs added
- Capital word sign for words in capitals
- Unicode braille you can copy anywhere
- Notes for unsupported characters
- Private, in your browser
Frequently asked questions
What is braille?
A tactile writing system invented by Louis Braille in the 1820s. Raised dots in a cell of two columns and three rows represent letters, numbers and punctuation.
What is Grade 1 braille?
Also called uncontracted braille, it spells each word letter by letter. Grade 2 uses contractions for common words and letter groups, to save space, and needs more rules.
How are capital letters and numbers shown?
A capital sign (dot 6) goes before a capital letter, two capital signs before a whole word in capitals, and the number sign (dots 3456) before a number. Digits use the same patterns as the letters a to j.
Can I print this on a braille printer?
You can copy the Unicode braille to a document, but embossers usually need a special braille font or file. Check with your device and use a certified transcriber for official documents.
Why do some characters become blanks?
This tool covers letters, digits and common punctuation. Symbols such as currency signs, emoji or letters of other alphabets are shown as blank cells, and the page lists them.
Why do I see boxes instead of dots?
Your device may lack a font with braille characters. Most phones and computers have one, but if not, try another browser or device.
Is the translation checked by an expert?
No. It follows the standard Grade 1 patterns, but use a qualified transcriber for signs, exams and legal documents.