How to translate text to braille
- Type or paste English text into Input. The braille appears as you type.
- Capitals get the capital sign ⠠, numbers the number sign ⠼, and spaces become blank braille cells so the text keeps its shape.
- Copy the braille or download it as a text file. Paste braille into Input to turn it back into text; the direction is detected for you.
How braille cells work
Each braille cell has six dot positions in two columns of three, numbered 1, 2, 3 down the left and 4, 5, 6 down the right. A letter is a pattern of raised dots: a is dot 1 (⠁), b is dots 1 and 2 (⠃), c is dots 1 and 4 (⠉). The letters a to j use only the top four dots. The next ten, k to t, add dot 3, and u, v, x, y and z add dots 3 and 6. W is the exception, since French braille, which English braille grew from, had no w.
Capitals, numbers and punctuation
| Sign | Braille | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Capital letter | ⠠ | The next letter is a capital |
| Capital word | ⠠⠠ | The whole word is in capitals |
| Number sign | ⠼ | The following a to j are digits |
| Full stop | ⠲ | Period at the end of a sentence |
| Comma | ⠂ | Comma |
| Question mark | ⠦ | Question mark; before a word it opens a quote |
Unicode braille characters (U+2800 to U+28FF) cover every pattern of the 8-dot cell, so the result pastes into any document, message or web page.