Base32 Encoder and Decoder
Type text to encode it, or switch to decode and paste a Base32 string. Choose the alphabet and whether to add padding.
Ce contenu est en anglais.
Exemples détaillés
Encode a word
Hello
JBSWY3DP
Five bytes make exactly eight characters, so there is no padding.
Decode it back
JBSWY3DP
Hello
The same letters decode to the original word.
À propos de Base32 Encoder and Decoder
This converter encodes text to Base32 and decodes it back. Base32 writes data using only 32 characters, which makes it easy to type, read aloud and put in a file name. Authenticator app secrets, some licence keys and certain identifiers are written this way, and it avoids the lower case, plus signs and slashes that Base64 uses.
Choose the standard alphabet of A to Z and 2 to 7, the extended hex alphabet that runs 0 to 9 then A to V, or Crockford, which leaves out the letters I, L, O and U so that values are harder to misread. Text is converted as UTF-8, so accented letters, other alphabets and emoji survive the round trip.
When encoding, equals signs are added at the end to round the length up to a multiple of eight, and you can switch that off if the system you are feeding does not want them. Crockford values never use padding. When decoding, spaces, line breaks and padding are ignored and capital or lower case letters both work. The result is shown as text, so a Base32 value that holds binary data rather than text will report that the decoded bytes are not valid text.
Comment utiliser Base32 Encoder and Decoder
- Choose Encode or Decode.
- Type or paste the input and pick the alphabet that was used or that you need.
- Switch padding on or off when encoding.
- Copy the result.
Usages courants
- Reading what is inside the secret from an authenticator app setup code
- Encoding a short value so it is easy to type or read over the phone
- Checking what a Base32 string actually contains
- Preparing values for a system or file format that expects Base32
- Comparing the standard and Crockford forms of the same value
- Decoding an identifier from a log or a configuration file
Questions fréquentes
How is Base32 different from Base64?
Base32 uses fewer characters, only letters and digits, so it is longer but easier to read and does not depend on upper and lower case. Base64 is shorter.
What is padding?
Equals signs added at the end so the length is a multiple of eight characters. Many systems accept it either way.
Why does decoding fail?
A character is not in the alphabet you chose, or the decoded bytes are not valid text. Check you chose the alphabet that was used to encode. The message names the first character it could not read.
What is the Crockford alphabet?
A variant that leaves out I, L, O and U to avoid mistakes. When decoding, O is read as 0 and I or L as 1, and hyphens are ignored. It does not use padding.
Is Base32 a way to hide information?
No. It is only a way of writing data with a limited set of characters, and anyone can decode it. Do not treat it as protection.