Introduction
Aurebesh is the standard galactic alphabet of the Star Wars universe. Every cockpit display, datapad readout, and street sign in the films, TV shows, and games uses it. Type a message above and watch each English letter become an Aurebesh glyph. This translator performs a clean A-Z substitution (plus digits 0-9), so the output is fully reversible. Toggle the direction to decode Aurebesh back to readable text. The glyphs use Private Use Area codepoints, so you need an Aurebesh font installed to see them rendered, but the underlying text copies and pastes correctly anywhere.
What this tool does
- Converts English text to Aurebesh glyphs using a fixed A-Z substitution matching the canonical Star Wars alphabet.
- Includes digits 0-9, mapped to their Aurebesh numerical equivalents alongside the 26 letters.
- Bidirectional translation: switch between text-to-Aurebesh and Aurebesh-to-text with one click.
- Uses Private Use Area codepoints (U+E400-U+E423), the standard approach for fan and font-based Aurebesh implementations.
- Shows a live A-Z and 0-9 reference table so you can learn the alphabet while you type.
- All conversion happens client-side. No text is sent to any server.
How this tool works
The translator holds two lookup tables: one for letters (A-Z mapped to U+E400-U+E419) and one for digits (0-9 mapped to U+E41A-U+E423). In encode mode, each input character is uppercased and checked against the combined table. A match produces the corresponding PUA codepoint. Characters outside the mapped range (spaces, punctuation, symbols) pass through unchanged. In decode mode, the tool builds an inverse map from PUA codepoints back to ASCII and applies it character by character. The reference table below the controls displays the full letter and digit mappings. Output updates on every keystroke with no page reload.
How the cipher or encoding works
Aurebesh first appeared in print in 1994. Stephen Crane, an art director at West End Games, created it for the Star Wars Miniatures Battles rulebook. He designed a full 26-letter alphabet plus digraphs for Star Wars-specific sounds like AE, CH, EO, KH, NG, OO, SH, and TH. According to Wookieepedia, the script was later adopted into canon and appeared on-screen in Return of the Jedi's special edition (1997), then throughout the prequel trilogy, The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian, and Andor.
The Wikipedia article on Aurebesh notes that the on-screen versions were often inconsistent in the early films, with prop designers sometimes using random glyphs. The Disney-era productions standardized the font more carefully. The official Star Wars Databank treats Aurebesh as the in-universe equivalent of the Latin alphabet, meaning English text and Aurebesh text are the same words written in different scripts.
This tool implements the simple 26-letter substitution that covers the vast majority of Aurebesh usage. The full canon alphabet includes eight additional digraph characters (AE, CH, EO, KH, NG, OO, SH, TH) that represent single sounds. A complete transcription system would detect letter pairs like "CH" and replace them with a single glyph. This tool does not do that, because most fan fonts and online resources use the 26-letter version, and the digraphs are not consistently supported across font implementations. The trade-off is reversibility: decode mode always recovers the exact input.
Aurebesh has no official Unicode assignment. Font designers map the glyphs to the Private Use Area, typically in the U+E000-U+F8FF range. This tool uses U+E400-U+E423, a clean block that avoids conflicts with other constructed-script PUA mappings. To see the glyphs, install an Aurebesh font such as Aurebesh AF or the fonts distributed by Star Wars fan sites. Without a font, the browser shows placeholder boxes, but the underlying codepoints are correct and will render on any device that has the font.
How to use this tool
- Select the mode: "Text to Aurebesh" to encode, or "Aurebesh to Text" to decode.
- Type or paste your text in the input field. Letters and digits convert; spaces and punctuation pass through unchanged.
- Check the A-Z and 0-9 reference tables below the controls to see exactly which glyph each character maps to.
- Use the swap button to reverse direction without retyping.
- Copy the result with the "Copy result" button. The PUA codepoints paste correctly into any text field.
- To see the glyphs rendered, install an Aurebesh font on your device. Without one, you will see boxes where the glyphs should be.
Real-world examples
Writing a Star Wars message
Type "MAY THE FORCE" in encode mode. Each letter maps to its Aurebesh glyph: M, A, Y, T, H, E, F, O, R, C, E become eleven PUA codepoints. With an Aurebesh font installed, the output looks like the cockpit displays on an X-wing. Switch to decode mode and paste the output to recover the original English text.
Decoding an on-screen inscription
A fan watching The Mandalorian pauses on a screen showing Aurebesh text. They install an Aurebesh font, type the visible glyphs into the decode input, and the tool reverses the substitution to reveal the English message the prop designers wrote. This is a common activity in the Star Wars fan community, where viewers hunt for hidden messages in background displays.
Cosplay prop design
A cosplayer building a datapad prop wants authentic Aurebesh labels. They type the English text they want to display, switch to encode mode, and copy the PUA output into their design software. With an Aurebesh font applied, the labels render in the galactic alphabet, matching the look of screen-used props.
Comparison with similar methods
| Method | Complexity | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Aurebesh | Low | Star Wars galactic alphabet, 26-letter substitution plus digits |
| Standard Galactic Alphabet | Low | Commander Keen game cipher, English letter substitution |
| Daedric Alphabet | Low | The Elder Scrolls constructed script, 26-letter substitution |
| Hylian Alphabet | Low | The Legend of Zelda series scripts, multiple variants |
Limitations or considerations
This tool implements the 26-letter Aurebesh substitution plus digits 0-9. It does not include the eight canon digraph characters (AE, CH, EO, KH, NG, OO, SH, TH) because font support for those glyphs is inconsistent across fan-made Aurebesh fonts. If you type "CH", the tool encodes it as two separate glyphs (C and H), not the single CH digraph. The output uses Private Use Area codepoints (U+E400-U+E423), so you need an Aurebesh font installed to see the glyphs. Without one, the browser shows placeholder boxes. The underlying codepoints are still correct and will render on any device with the font. Aurebesh is a substitution script, not encryption. Anyone with the mapping table can read it. For actual encryption, use the AES block cipher or RSA Key Inspector.
Frequently asked questions
What is Aurebesh?
Aurebesh is the standard alphabet of the Star Wars universe. Stephen Crane created it in 1994 for West End Games' Star Wars Miniatures Battles rulebook. It later appeared on-screen in the Return of the Jedi special edition and throughout the prequels, The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian, and other Disney-era productions. It is a 26-letter substitution over the English alphabet, plus eight digraph characters for Star Wars-specific sounds.
Who created Aurebesh?
Stephen Crane, an art director at West End Games, designed the original Aurebesh alphabet in 1994 for the Star Wars Miniatures Battles rulebook. West End Games held the Star Wars tabletop RPG license at the time. The script was later adopted into canon and standardized for on-screen use by Lucasfilm and Disney.
Does Aurebesh have official Unicode support?
No. Aurebesh has no official Unicode assignment. Font designers map the glyphs to the Private Use Area (U+E000-U+F8FF). This tool uses U+E400-U+E423. You need an Aurebesh font installed to see the glyphs rendered. Without one, the browser shows placeholder boxes, but the codepoints are correct.
Why does this tool not include the Aurebesh digraph characters?
The full canon Aurebesh alphabet has eight digraph glyphs (AE, CH, EO, KH, NG, OO, SH, TH) that represent single sounds. Font support for these is inconsistent across fan-made fonts. This tool uses the 26-letter version, which is what most fonts and online resources support. The trade-off is that the output is reversible: decode mode always recovers the exact input letters.
Is Aurebesh a cipher?
No. Aurebesh is a writing system, not a cipher. It is a simple substitution with a fixed, publicly known mapping. In the Star Wars universe, it is the standard alphabet, equivalent to the Latin alphabet in the real world. Anyone with the mapping table can read it. It provides no security.
Conclusion
The Aurebesh translator converts English text to and from the galactic alphabet of Star Wars. Type your message, toggle the direction, and copy the output. For more constructed-script tools, try the Standard Galactic Alphabet, the Daedric Alphabet, the Hylian Alphabet, or the Hieroglyphics Translator.