Hex to Unicode Converter
Look up which character a Unicode code point represents — the hex value here is the code point itself, not a UTF-8/16/32 byte encoding of it.
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Swapnil SanghviFull-Stack Web Developer & WordPress Developer
Swapnil Sanghvi is a full-stack web and WordPress developer, UI designer, and full-time freelancer who builds and maintains Hex Calculator.
Further reading: Character encoding — Wikipedia
How to Read Hex as a Unicode Code Point
Every character in Unicode has a unique number called a code point, written as U+ followed by hex digits. Unlike converting hex to UTF-8 or UTF-16 — which decode a *byte sequence* using a specific encoding's rules — this page treats the hex value as the code point itself and looks up which character it identifies.
Common Mistakes With Unicode Code Points
- Confusing a code point with its UTF-8 or UTF-16 byte encoding — they're related but not the same number.
- Entering a value in the surrogate range (D800-DFFF), which isn't a valid standalone character.
- Forgetting the U+10FFFF ceiling — Unicode doesn't define anything beyond it.
Limitations
- Caps at the highest valid Unicode code point (U+10FFFF), and rejects the surrogate range (D800-DFFF), which isn't a valid standalone code point.
- Handles one character (one Unicode code point) at a time, not a full string.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a code point and an encoding?
A code point (like U+1F600) is Unicode's abstract identifier for a character — a number, nothing more. An encoding like UTF-8 or UTF-16 is a specific set of rules for representing that number as actual bytes. This page works with the code point directly.
Why does the hex value here look different from UTF-8 hex for the same character?
Because they're answering different questions. The code point 1F600 is what the character *is*; F09F9880 is how UTF-8 chooses to *store* it as 4 bytes. Same character, different representations.
What does the "U+" prefix mean?
It's the standard notation for writing a Unicode code point, always followed by the hex value — U+0041 is the letter A, U+1F600 is the grinning face emoji.
What's the highest valid code point?
U+10FFFF — Unicode reserves code points only up to that value, covering roughly 1.1 million possible characters, most of which are unassigned.
Why does entering D800-DFFF give an error?
That range is reserved for surrogate pairs — a UTF-16 encoding mechanism, not real standalone characters — so no valid character exists at those code points.
How do I get the actual UTF-8 or UTF-16 bytes for a character?
Use the Hex to UTF-8, Hex to UTF-16, or Hex to UTF-32 converters, which take the code point and apply that specific encoding's byte rules.