How to Decode Morse Code With Your Phone Camera
MorseLight can read Morse for you. Point the camera at a blinking light and its auto-decoder measures the on/off timing and turns it into text — no tapping required.
Steps
- Open the Receive tab and switch to the Auto tab.
- Point the camera so the blinking light sits inside the detection box.
- Adjust the Perceptibility and Size sliders until the light is detected — watch the live luminosity readout.
- Tap Start and hold the phone steady while the light flashes.
- Read the result in the Decoded Message box.
Features
- Automatic detection with the camera
- Live luminosity readout
- Adjustable sensitivity and target size
- Everything decoded on-device
How auto-decode works
The camera watches the brightness inside the detection box. When the light turns on and off, MorseLight records how long each state lasts, groups those durations into dots, dashes, and gaps, and looks them up in the Morse alphabet.
Getting a clean read
Keep the phone steady, frame only the light inside the box, and make sure the sender flashes at a steady rhythm. Higher contrast — a bright light against a dark background — decodes most reliably. If the light is faint, raise Perceptibility; if it is small or far away, lower the Size slider.
Prefer to do it by hand?
The Manual tab lets you press and hold in time with the flashes, then decode your own timings. It is a good way to check the auto-decoder or to read a signal the camera cannot lock onto.
Frequently asked questions
Can my phone read Morse code from a light?
Yes. MorseLight’s Auto mode uses the camera to detect a blinking light and decodes it to text automatically.
Does the decoder need internet?
No — detection and decoding both run on-device, so it works offline.
What if the light is not detected?
Center the light in the detection box, steady the phone, and adjust the Perceptibility and Size sliders until the luminosity readout responds to the flashes.