Hex Editor

What is Hex Editor?

Hex Editor displays and allows editing of binary file data in hexadecimal and ASCII representations side by side, similar to classic tools like HxD or xxd. It shows byte offsets, hex pairs, and the corresponding ASCII printable characters (or dots for non-printable bytes). The tool supports searching by hex pattern or ASCII string, jumping to specific offsets, and highlights common file signatures (magic numbers) for format identification like PNG (89504E47), JPEG (FFD8FF), and PDF (25504446).

Reverse engineers analyzing binary formats, protocol developers debugging packet data, and forensics analysts examining file structures. The tool runs entirely in your browser — your data never leaves your device.

How to Use Hex Editor

1. Upload a file or paste hex data to load it into the editor view
2. Browse the hex view with offsets on the left, hex pairs in the center, and ASCII on the right
3. Click any byte to edit its value — changes are highlighted and tracked in a diff view
4. Use Search to find hex patterns (FF D8 FF) or ASCII strings within the binary data

Common Use Cases

• Inspecting binary file headers to identify file types when extensions are missing or wrong
• Debugging binary protocol messages by examining individual byte values
• Patching specific bytes in configuration files or game save data
• Analyzing embedded data like EXIF metadata in images at the byte level

Pro Tips

• File magic numbers in the first 4-8 bytes identify the format regardless of extension — 89 50 4E 47 is PNG, 50 4B 03 04 is ZIP (and therefore also DOCX, XLSX, JAR), 7F 45 4C 46 is ELF (Linux executables)
• When debugging network protocols, compare sent vs received hex dumps byte by byte — endianness issues show up as reversed byte pairs (e.g., port 8080 = 1F90 in network order but 901F in little-endian)
• The printable ASCII column is useful for spotting embedded strings in binary files — error messages, version strings, and paths are often visible as readable text surrounded by dots

Why Use This Tool?

• Privacy-first: All processing happens locally in your browser. No data is transmitted to any server.
• No installation required: Works in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
• Completely free: No account, no credit card, no usage caps.
• Fast and reliable: Powered by modern Web APIs for near-instant results.

Related Concepts

Learn more about related topics: Magic numbers, Binary data, Byte offsets, Endianness.

Frequently Asked Questions