What number systems (bases) does this converter support?
This converter supports all integer bases from 2 (binary) to 36. The most commonly used are binary (base-2), octal (base-8), decimal (base-10), and hexadecimal (base-16), which are displayed as quick-access cards. Expand 'Other Radices' to see results for all bases.
How do I convert hexadecimal to decimal?
Select hexadecimal (base-16) as the input radix using the dropdown, then type or paste your hex value (e.g., FF, A3, 1A2B). The decimal result will appear instantly in the decimal result card. For example, hex FF converts to decimal 255.
How do I convert decimal to hexadecimal?
Make sure decimal (base-10) is selected as the input radix, then enter your decimal number (e.g., 255, 1024, 65535). The hexadecimal result appears instantly in the hex result card. For example, decimal 255 converts to hex FF.
How do I convert binary to hexadecimal?
Select binary (base-2) as the input radix, enter your binary string (e.g., 11111111), and the hexadecimal result will show immediately. Every 4 binary digits map to 1 hex digit, so 11111111 (8 bits) = FF in hex.
Does it support fractional numbers (decimals)?
Yes. The converter supports fractional numbers like 3.14 or FF.8. Fractional parts are calculated with up to 20 digits of precision using Decimal.js high-precision arithmetic to avoid floating-point errors common in standard JavaScript math.
Does it support negative numbers?
Yes. Simply prepend a minus sign (-) to your input number, e.g., -255 or -FF. The converter will handle negative values correctly across all bases.
What is the difference between hexadecimal and Base64 encoding?
Hexadecimal uses 16 symbols (0-9, A-F) and produces 2 characters per byte. Base64 uses 64 symbols (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /) and produces roughly 4 characters per 3 bytes, making it more compact. Hex is common for debugging, color codes, and memory addresses; Base64 is common for data URIs, email attachments, and API payloads. If you need Base64 conversion, try our HEX to Base64 tool.
Why is hexadecimal used in programming?
Hexadecimal is used because it provides a human-readable representation of binary data. One hex digit = 4 bits, two hex digits = 1 byte. This makes it easy to read memory addresses, color codes (#FF5733), MAC addresses, character encodings, and binary file contents without dealing with long strings of 0s and 1s.
Is my data safe? Does it get sent to a server?
No. All conversions run entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The numbers you enter never leave your device. There is no server processing, no data storage, and no tracking of your input. The tool works offline once the page has loaded.
What does 'base' or 'radix' mean?
The base (or radix) of a number system is the number of unique digits used to represent numbers. Base-2 (binary) uses 2 digits (0,1); base-10 (decimal) uses 10 digits (0-9); base-16 (hexadecimal) uses 16 symbols (0-9, A-F). The same numeric value looks different in different bases — e.g., decimal 255 is FF in hex and 11111111 in binary.
Why are letters used in hexadecimal and higher bases?
When the base exceeds 10, we need more than 10 symbols (0-9). Letters a-z (or A-Z) are used as additional digits. In hexadecimal, A=10, B=11, C=12, D=13, E=14, F=15. In base-36, we use all digits 0-9 plus all letters a-z to represent values 0-35.
Can I convert large numbers without losing precision?
Yes. This converter uses Decimal.js for arbitrary-precision decimal arithmetic, avoiding the floating-point precision issues that standard JavaScript Number type has with very large integers. Extremely large numbers (beyond what Decimal.js can represent) may show as Infinity, but all practical programming and learning use cases are fully supported.
