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Binary to Hex Converter
Split binary into four-bit nibbles to read off the hex value.
A nibble is half a byte: four bits, one hex digit. Once you can spot a nibble, converting binary to hex stops being a calculation and turns into reading.
Converting 10110110 to hex by hand
- Starting from the right, split the binary number into groups of four bits:
1011and0110. - If the leftmost group has fewer than four digits, pad it with leading zeros until it does — padding on the left never changes the value.
- Convert each nibble separately:
1011is 8+2+1 = 11, which is B in hex.0110is 4+2 = 6. - Write the hex digits in the same order as the nibbles: B then 6, giving
B6. - Check it: B6 in decimal is 11×16 + 6 = 182, and 10110110 in decimal is 128+32+16+4+2 = 182. They match.
Terms worth knowing
- Nibble — Four bits, exactly half a byte, and exactly one hex digit — the unit this whole conversion is built on.
- Byte — Eight bits, or two nibbles, which is why a byte is always written as exactly two hex digits, from
00toFF. - Padding — Adding leading zeros so a binary number splits evenly into groups of four.
110padded to a nibble becomes0110, still worth 6.
Why this beats converting through decimal
You could convert binary to decimal first and then decimal to hex, and you would get the right answer. It is also two calculations instead of one lookup, and each one is a place to make an arithmetic mistake.
Splitting into nibbles skips the middle step entirely. Once you can quickly work out the sixteen values a nibble can hold, converting even a long binary string becomes a matter of grouping and reading, not calculating.
Binary to hex questions
What exactly is a nibble?
Half a byte — four binary digits, giving 16 possible values, which is exactly the range one hex digit covers. It is the unit that makes binary-to-hex conversion a matter of grouping rather than arithmetic.
Why group from the right instead of the left?
Because place value increases from right to left, so grouping from the right keeps each group aligned to a consistent power of two. Padding extra zeros on the left then never changes the number’s value.
How many hex digits represent a 32-bit number?
Eight. Thirty-two bits split into eight groups of four, and each group becomes one hex digit, which is why 32-bit values like colour values in software are commonly written with eight hex characters.
Does converting binary to hex ever change the value?
No. Hex is purely a different way of writing the same binary number, digit for digit, so the underlying value is identical before and after — only its readability changes.
What is the fastest way to check my work?
Convert the hex result back to decimal and compare it against the decimal value of the original binary number. If both calculations land on the same number, as with B6 and 10110110 both equalling 182, the conversion is correct.
