Convert Unicode to UTF-16
Quickly encode Unicode values to UTF-16 encoding. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Convert Unicode to UTF-16
- 1. Paste the text to encode. Paste the Unicode text you want encoded as UTF-16. Characters outside the Basic Multilingual Plane, such as many emoji, expand into a pair of surrogate code units.
- 2. Set a Separator between units. Set Separator to the character placed between each 16-bit code unit, such as a space, so the output matches the layout expected by a script, spec, or memory dump.
- 3. Copy the UTF-16 code units. Copy the UTF-16 code units and use them to verify how a string is stored in memory by JavaScript, Java, or another runtime that uses UTF-16 internally.
When to use Convert Unicode to UTF-16
Convert Unicode to UTF-16 shows the 16-bit code units behind a string, the internal representation used by JavaScript strings, Java, and Windows APIs. It matters when a bug depends on surrogate pairs or on the difference between a code point and a UTF-16 code unit.
- Debugging a JavaScript string length bug. A string.length in JavaScript reports more characters than expected because an emoji occupies a surrogate pair, and seeing the raw UTF-16 units clarifies exactly why the count is off.
- Comparing against a Java or C# byte layout. You are debugging interop between a JavaScript frontend and a Java or C# backend, both of which use UTF-16 internally, and need to confirm the exact code units for a shared string.
- Investigating a Windows API string issue. A Windows API function expects a UTF-16 wide string, and you need to verify the exact code units a given piece of text should produce before passing it to that function.
- Understanding surrogate pairs in emoji. You want to see concretely why an emoji takes two UTF-16 code units instead of one, to explain a confusing off-by-one bug in string slicing code to a teammate.
Examples
Convert
Input
AB
Output
0041 0042
About the Convert Unicode to UTF-16 tool
Convert Unicode to UTF-16 runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Quickly encode Unicode values to UTF-16 encoding. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's Unicode Tools section, 98 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with the Separator setting, and the result refreshes the moment you change it. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Does Convert Unicode to UTF-16 cost anything?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
No data leaves your device. The whole tool is JavaScript that runs inside your browser tab, so there is no upload, no server-side processing and no log of what you did. If you disconnect from the internet after the page loads, it keeps working.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
Nothing to install and no account needed. Open the page in any up-to-date browser, including on a phone or tablet, and the tool is ready.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.