About the Char to ASCII Converter
This is the tool to reach for when a single character is misbehaving. Instead of a stream of numbers it prints one row per character with four different views of the same value, so you can match whatever notation the error message or the spec is using. Whitespace is never invisible here: a space shows as (space), a tab as (tab) and a line break as (newline), each with its own code.
The entity column gives the numeric HTML form, which is the safest way to hard code an unusual character into markup without depending on the file encoding. The binary column is padded to eight digits for readability, though a character above 255 naturally needs more, and the hex column is padded to two.
Two switches keep long inputs readable. Skipping whitespace removes the rows you rarely care about. One row per distinct character collapses repeats, turning a paragraph into a compact inventory of the characters it actually uses, which is a fast way to find a stray non breaking space or a curly apostrophe that slipped in from a word processor. Switch the layout to CSV and the same data downloads as a spreadsheet. For a plain run of numbers with no table around it, use Text to ASCII, and Invisible Characters hunts specifically for zero width intruders.
How to use
- Paste the characters you want to inspect.
- Tick One row per distinct character for an inventory rather than a full listing.
- Switch the layout to CSV rows if the table is going into a spreadsheet.
- Copy the table or download it.
Common questions
- Why does one character show a code above 255?
- Because it is outside Latin-1. The number shown is its Unicode code point, and the binary column grows past eight digits to fit.
- How do I find a hidden character?
- Tick the distinct character option. Any code you do not recognise in the short list is the intruder.
- What is the entity column for?
- It is the numeric HTML escape, so you can paste that form into markup and get the same character on any encoding.
- Are emoji supported?
- Yes. An emoji is one row with its full code point, not two rows of surrogate halves.