How to use the leetspeak converter
- Type or paste text into the box.
- Choose Text to leetspeak or Leetspeak to text. For encoding, pick a style: basic, medium or symbols.
- For decoding, choose whether to decode any word with a letter or only words with two or more letters.
- Read the converted text and the note on how many characters changed. Copy it or download it.
The three styles
Leetspeak, also written 1337, swaps letters for numbers and symbols that look like them. The basic style changes six letters: A to 4, E to 3, I to 1, O to 0, S to 5 and T to 7. The medium style adds B to 8, G to 9 and Z to 2. The symbols style uses 12 letters with more symbols, such as A to @, C to (, H to #, I to !, S to $ and T to +. The page lists the swaps it used under the result.
Capital and lowercase letters are swapped alike, and every other character is left as it is. Elite hackers leave the lights on all night becomes 3l173 h4ck3r5 l34v3 7h3 l1gh75 0n 4ll n1gh7 in the basic style, and Chosen glitch zero becomes (#0$3n 91!+(# 23r0 in the symbols style.
Going back to plain text
Decoding reads each word that mixes letters with leetspeak characters and swaps them back. Because several letters share a symbol, such as 1 for both I and L, the page uses the most common reading, and the result can need a quick read. Words are decoded only when they contain a letter, so plain numbers like 2024, ordinals such as 1st and units such as 5kg are left alone. A symbol at the edge of a word, like the exclamation mark in Hello!, is treated as punctuation.
Codes and model numbers that mix letters and digits, such as A1 or H2O, can be misread as leetspeak, so check the result. Choosing two or more letters leaves short words alone, which protects labels like B2 but skips words like 7h3 that decode to the.
Use it for fun, not for secrecy
Leetspeak is a playful spelling, not a way to hide anything. Anyone can read it, and it adds almost no strength to a password, since attackers already try such swaps. For real secrecy use proper tools, and for strong passwords use the Password Generator. For other playful text, see the Fancy Text Generator. To write the same text as dots and dashes, use the Morse Code Translator, or as a real encoding, the Binary Translator. The Case Converter changes capitalization. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Assumptions and limits
- Only unaccented A to Z letters are swapped. Other characters pass through unchanged.
- Decoding is a best guess, with the first listed letter used when a symbol could mean two.
- Up to 200,000 characters are read.
- Nothing is uploaded or stored.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert text to leetspeak?
Type the text and choose a style. Each letter in that style swaps for its look-alike digit or symbol, so Elite becomes 3l173 in the basic style.
Can leetspeak be translated back to normal text?
Yes, as a best guess. Choose Leetspeak to text, and words that mix letters with leet characters are swapped back. Some symbols, like 1, can mean two letters, so check the result.
Does leetspeak make a password strong?
No. Swapping letters for look-alike characters is a well-known pattern, and password cracking tools try it automatically. Use a long random password instead.
Why were some numbers left alone when decoding?
Numbers on their own, ordinals such as 2nd and units such as 5kg are left alone because they are ordinary text. Only words that mix letters and leet characters are decoded.