Hex to Binary Converter
Paste a hexadecimal value and get the bits behind it instantly — free, private, and fully in your browser.
How to Use the Hex to Binary Converter
- Paste your hexadecimal value into the input box. A 0x prefix, spaces, and underscores are all stripped automatically, so 0xDE_AD and DE AD both work.
- Keep "Group in 4 bits" on to read the output as nibbles (1101 1110), or turn it off for one unbroken bit string.
- Click "Convert". Each hex digit expands into exactly four bits, so the output length is always four times the number of digits.
- Check the decimal value line underneath if you want the same number in base 10 — it is calculated with BigInt, so even very long values stay exact.
- Use "Copy result" to take the bits with you, or "Clear" to start again.
What Is a Hex to Binary Converter?
A hex to binary converter expands a base-16 number into the base-2 bits a machine actually stores. Each hexadecimal digit stands for exactly four bits — 0 is 0000, 7 is 0111, C is 1100, F is 1111 — so the conversion is a straight digit-by-digit substitution rather than repeated division.
That makes hex the most common way to write binary data compactly: a byte fits in two hex digits, a 32-bit register in eight. Expanding back to bits is what you do when you need to read a permission mask, decode a colour channel, check a flag in a status register, or line up a protocol field against its specification.
Need the reverse or a text-based conversion? Use the binary to hex converter to compress bits back into hex, the text to hex converter to turn strings into hex bytes, or the text to binary converter to go from characters straight to bits.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do you convert hex to binary manually?
Replace each hexadecimal digit with its four-bit pattern, keeping the digits in order. There is no carrying or division involved — A becomes 1010 and 3 becomes 0011, so A3 is 1010 0011.
What is FF in binary?
FF in hexadecimal is 11111111 in binary and 255 in decimal — the largest value a single byte can hold. Paste it above to see the grouped output and the decimal readout together.
Why does each hex digit become exactly four bits?
Hexadecimal has 16 symbols and 16 equals 2^4, so every digit covers precisely four binary positions. That is why converting never produces a partial group or a remainder.
Does this hex to binary calculator accept a 0x prefix?
Yes. The converter removes 0x and 0X prefixes along with spaces and underscores before converting, so you can paste literals copied straight out of source code or a hex dump.
Should I keep the leading zeros in the binary output?
For fixed-width data such as registers, bytes, and protocol fields, yes — the leading zeros carry the width information. If you only need the numeric value, they can be dropped without changing it.
Can I convert a long hex string like a hash or a key?
Yes. Conversion is digit by digit, so a 64-character SHA-256 hash expands cleanly to 256 bits, and the decimal readout uses BigInt to stay exact at any length.
Is my hex data private?
Yes. Everything is converted locally in your browser with JavaScript. ToolGenie does not upload, log, or store the values you paste on this page.
Tips for Converting Hexadecimal to Binary
- Tip 1: Leave 4-bit grouping on while you are debugging. Nibble boundaries line up with hex digits, so you can point at a bit and immediately name the digit it came from.
- Tip 2: Turn grouping off when the bits are going into code or a config file — most parsers want a continuous string with no spaces.
- Tip 3: Memorise the four anchors 8 = 1000, 4 = 0100, 2 = 0010, 1 = 0001. Every other hex digit is just a combination of those, which makes mask reading much faster.
- Tip 4: Convert the output back with the binary to hex converter to verify a long value, or start from readable text with the text to binary converter when you are decoding a message rather than a number.