Hex to UTF-8 Converter

Paste a space-separated hex byte sequence and this tool decodes it as UTF-8 using the browser's native, strict-mode TextDecoder, showing the resulting text or a clear error if the bytes don't form valid UTF-8.

What is the Hex to UTF-8 Converter?

It's the reverse of encoding: instead of turning text into bytes, this tool turns bytes back into text. Paste hex pairs like C3 A9 and it decodes them with TextDecoder('utf-8', {fatal: true}), which throws rather than silently substituting a replacement character when the sequence is malformed — so a successful decode is proof the bytes were legitimate UTF-8.

Key Features

• Accepts space-separated hex byte pairs, with or without a leading 0x
• Decodes strictly with TextDecoder, so bad input surfaces as a real error
• Shows the resulting text immediately, live as you edit the bytes
• Copy button grabs the decoded text ready to paste elsewhere

How It Works

1. Paste hex byte pairs into the input panel, separated by spaces.
2. The tool strips whitespace and any 0x prefixes and builds a byte array.
3. TextDecoder('utf-8', {fatal: true}) decodes the bytes.
4. Valid UTF-8 prints as text; invalid UTF-8 prints the decoder's error instead.

A Real-World Use Case

A packet capture, a hex dump from a debugger, or a byte array logged by a backend often needs to be read as text before it makes sense. Paste the hex bytes here to see the decoded string immediately, without writing a throwaway script just to call TextDecoder yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What format should the hex bytes be in?

Two hex digits per byte, separated by spaces, such as C3 A9 for U+00E9. Lowercase or uppercase both work, and a leading 0x on each pair is stripped automatically.

What happens if the bytes aren't valid UTF-8?

Decoding is done in strict mode, so a malformed byte sequence — like a continuation byte with no lead byte, or a truncated multi-byte character — produces a clear error instead of silently guessing or inserting replacement characters.

How is this different from the UTF-8 Validator?

This tool's goal is the decoded text — feed it valid bytes and read the string back. The UTF-8 Validator's goal is diagnosis: it tells you whether a byte sequence is well-formed and, if not, exactly where the first bad byte sits.

Decoding happens entirely in your browser via the native TextDecoder — nothing you paste is sent anywhere.