How does folding across more than two integers work?

The OR of the first two values is computed, then that result is ORed with the third value, and so on, until every value in the list has been combined into one result.

Can I OR negative integers?

No. Bitwise OR here is only defined on non-negative integers at a fixed 32-bit width, so negative values are rejected with a clear error.

What's the maximum value I can enter?

Any non-negative integer that fits in 32 bits, up to 4,294,967,295. Larger values are rejected since they don't fit the fixed width used for the operation.

When would I use OR instead of AND?

Use OR when you want to know which bits are set in at least one of the values, such as combining several permission flags into a union. Use AND when you want bits set in every value.

Integer OR Calculator - Bitwise OR of a List of Integers

Overview

Introduction

This tool computes the bitwise OR across a whole list of non-negative integers, folding them together left to right into one result.

It's useful for combining flag values or masks so that any bit set in any of them ends up set in the result.

What Is Integer OR Calculator?

A calculator that treats bitwise OR as an associative fold across a list: OR the first two values, then OR that with the next, and so on.

It operates at a fixed 32-bit width, matching how bitwise operators behave in most programming languages.

How Integer OR Calculator Works

Each non-blank line is parsed as a non-negative integer no larger than 4,294,967,295 (the maximum unsigned 32-bit value).

The values are combined pairwise with bitwise OR, carrying the running result forward across the whole list.

The final combined result is returned as a single decimal number.

When To Use Integer OR Calculator

Use it to union together several bitmask or flag values, so you can see the full set of bits set across all of them.

It's also useful for teaching or verifying how bitwise OR behaves across more than two operands.

Often used alongside Integer AND Calculator, Integer XOR Calculator and Integer NOR Calculator.

Features

Advantages

Handles any number of operands (2 or more) in a single pass, not just two at a time.
Uses a clear, fixed 32-bit width so results are predictable and match common programming-language behavior.
Clearly rejects negative or oversized inputs instead of silently producing a wrong result.

Limitations

Only supports non-negative integers up to 32 bits; there's no signed or wider-width mode.
Requires at least two values in the list; a single value has nothing to OR against.

Examples

Folding OR across three values

Input

12
10
1

Output

12 | 10 = 14, then 14 | 1 = 15.

Two values

Input

8
1

Output

8 (1000 in binary) OR 1 (0001) sets both bits: 1001 = 9.

Best Practices & Notes

Best Practices

Use this tool when you want the union of set bits across values; for bits common to every value, use the AND calculator instead.
Keep all values non-negative and within 32 bits, since this tool is defined only for that range.

Developer Notes

Values are validated and parsed first, then combined with a single `reduce` using JavaScript's `|` operator followed by `>>> 0` to keep the running result in unsigned 32-bit form throughout the fold.

Integer OR Calculator Use Cases

Combining multiple bitmask or permission-flag values into their union
Verifying bitwise-OR logic in application code against known test values
Teaching how bitwise operators fold across more than two operands

Common Mistakes

Entering a negative number, which is rejected since bitwise OR here is only defined for non-negative integers.
Expecting a value larger than 4,294,967,295 to work; it's outside the fixed 32-bit width this tool uses.
Confusing OR (any bit set) with AND (only bits set everywhere), which produce very different combined results.

Tips

If you only have two values, the result is the same as pairwise OR; the fold matters most with three or more.
Pair with the Integer NOT Calculator if you also need the complement of the combined result.

Integer OR Calculator