One byte
Binary
11010110
Hex
D6
1101 is 13, written D, and 0110 is 6.
Binary to Hex Converter
Type a binary number and read it in hexadecimal, with each group of four bits shown underneath. It opens on 11010110, which is D6.
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How to convert binary to hex
Four bits have sixteen combinations, the same number as there are hex digits, so every group of four becomes exactly one hex digit. Work from the right because that is where the groups line up; if the leftmost group is short, add zeros in front of it.
To turn a group into a digit, add the place values of its 1s: 8, 4, 2 and 1. 1101 is 8 + 4 + 1 = 13, which is D, and 0110 is 4 + 2 = 6.
This is why programmers write binary data in hex. A 32-bit value is 32 hard-to-read bits but only 8 hex digits.
What to know about grouping bits
- Always group from the right, the least significant end.
- Inside a group, the place values are 8, 4, 2 and 1.
- Values from 10 to 15 become A to F: 1010 is A and 1111 is F.
- Grouping by three instead of four gives octal, the system behind
chmodnumbers.
Binary to hex, worked out
A short number
Binary
101
Hex
5
Pad it to 0101, which is 5.
Nine bits
Binary
1 0110 1011
Hex
16B
Grouping from the right leaves a single 1 on the left, which pads to 0001 and becomes 1.
All ones
Binary
1111 1111 1111 1111
Hex
FFFF
Every group is 1111, so every digit is F. This is 65535, the largest 16-bit value.
Common binary to hex mistakes
- Grouping from the left. Grouped from the left,
10110gives 1011 and a stray 0; grouped from the right it is 0001 0110, which is 16. - Forgetting to pad the leftmost group with zeros before reading it.
- Writing 10 to 15 as two digits instead of the letters A to F.
- Reading a group's bits in the wrong order. The leftmost bit of a group is worth 8.
Binary to hex FAQ
What is 1111 in hex?
F. 1111 is 8 + 4 + 2 + 1 = 15, and 15 is written F.
What is 10000000 in hex?
80. The groups are 1000 and 0000, which are 8 and 0.
How do I convert binary to hex in Python?
hex(int('11010110', 2)) returns '0xd6'. In JavaScript, parseInt('11010110', 2).toString(16) returns 'd6'.Why group bits in fours?
Because 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 = 16. A group of four bits holds exactly one hex digit, so the conversion is a table lookup with no other arithmetic.
