Number Base Converter

Binary, octal, decimal, hex.

How this calculator works

Converts a number between arbitrary bases (2–36). Common: binary (2), octal (8), decimal (10), hex (16).

Digits beyond 9 use letters A–Z, standard convention.

Binary and hexadecimal are the two bases that matter most in computing — binary because it maps directly to how hardware stores bits, and hex because it's a compact, human-readable shorthand for binary, with each hex digit representing exactly four bits.

Example

255 in base 10 = FF in base 16.

Frequently asked questions

Why hex for colors?

Two hex digits map to 0–255 exactly, one byte each for R, G, B — compact and unambiguous.

What's base 36?

Uses 0–9 and A–Z, sometimes used to compress numeric IDs into shorter strings.

Why is binary base 2 fundamental to computers?

Digital circuits are built from switches with two states (on/off), which maps naturally onto binary's two digits — every other base a computer displays to you is ultimately converted from binary under the hood.

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