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Binary to Hex Converter — Nibble Grouping Explained
Convert a binary number to hexadecimal by grouping bits into nibbles. Because 16 = 2⁴, each hex digit maps to exactly four bits, so the trick is to split the binary into 4-bit groups from the right and translate each group to one hex digit. Worked example: 11111111₂ splits into 1111 and 1111, each of which is F, giving FF₁₆. A shorter value like 1010₂ is a single nibble = A₁₆. This nibble alignment (and the 3-bit grouping for octal) is why binary↔hex is so much easier than a full base conversion. The tool shows all four bases at once, uses BigInt for large inputs, and runs 100% in your browser. Free, no login.
Binary → hex = group bits into nibbles (4 bits) from the right, translate each nibble to one hex digit (16 = 2⁴)
- Byte-exact worked example: 11111111₂ → 1111 1111 → F F → FF₁₆
- Single nibble: 1010₂ → A₁₆ (= 10₁₀ = 12₈)
- Octal uses 3-bit groups instead of 4 (8 = 2³) — same idea, different group size
- Pad the leftmost group with leading zeros if the bit count is not a multiple of 4; runs 100% client-side
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert binary to hex?
Split the binary digits into groups of four, starting from the right (pad the leftmost group with leading zeros if needed), then convert each 4-bit group to a single hex digit 0–F. For 11111111: the groups are 1111 and 1111, and 1111 is F, so the result is FF. This works because one hex digit is exactly four bits. The tool shows the grouping and the other bases too.
Why can you group binary into fours for hex?
Because 16 is 2 to the fourth power, so every hex digit represents exactly four bits with no overlap. That clean alignment means you can translate each nibble independently instead of doing a full positional conversion. Octal works the same way with groups of three bits, since 8 is 2 to the third power.
What is 11111111 in hex?
11111111 in binary is FF in hex. Grouped into nibbles it is 1111 1111, and each 1111 is F, so FF. That is one full byte, equal to 255 in decimal — the reason a byte is often written as two hex digits.