A1Z26 Converter
The simplest letter cipher: A becomes 1, B becomes 2, all the way to Z = 26. Encode and decode here.
About this tool
A1Z26 is the first cipher most people ever meet: replace each letter with its position in the alphabet. It is a staple of puzzle hunts, escape rooms, geocaching and kids' secret codes — and just as easy to crack as to write, which is exactly its charm.
Format note: this tool joins the letters of a word with hyphens (8-5-12-12-15) and separates words with spaces, so 23 can never be misread as 2-3. The decoder also accepts plain space-separated numbers (8 5 12 12 15).
How to use it
- Type text in the top box to encode it.
- Paste a code in the bottom box to decode it — hyphens or spaces both work.
Frequently asked questions
Is A1Z26 secure?
Not at all — it is a toy cipher with no key. Anyone who recognises the pattern can read the message. Use it for fun, puzzles and teaching, never for secrets.
What happens to numbers and punctuation in my text?
They are skipped when encoding — only the letters A–Z become numbers.
Why hyphens between letters?
Without separators, 112 could mean K B (11, 2), A L (1, 12) or A A B (1, 1, 2). Hyphens remove the ambiguity.