— Base32 Encoder/Decoder

Free Online Base32 Encoder/Decoder

Quick Tips

  • This tool runs entirely in your browser - your data stays private.
  • Press Ctrl+V (Cmd+V on Mac) to quickly paste text.
  • Use the Copy button to save your result to clipboard.
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Encode and decode data using Base32 encoding scheme.

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Examples

Input
Hello
Output
JBSWY3DP
Input
JBSWY3DPEHPK3PXP
Output
Hello!
Input
secret
Output
ONXW2ZJANFXHA===
Input
Test123
Output
KRSXG5BRGIZQ====

Why Use This Tool?

What problems does this solve?

When you need to encode data for human transcription or case-insensitive systems, Base64 falls short. Base32 provides a readable, error-resistant encoding that works reliably across all systems regardless of case handling.

Common use cases:

  • Encoding TOTP/2FA secrets for authenticator apps like Google Authenticator
  • Creating human-readable encoded strings for manual entry
  • Encoding data for case-insensitive file systems or databases
  • DNS-safe encoding where case might not be preserved
  • Generating backup codes for recovery systems

Who benefits from this tool?

Security engineers implementing two-factor authentication. Developers building systems that require human-transcribable codes. System administrators working with case-insensitive systems. Anyone needing error-resistant encoded data.

Privacy first: All processing happens in your browser. Your TOTP secrets and encoded data never leave your device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Base32 is ideal for 2FA/TOTP secrets because it is case-insensitive and avoids ambiguous characters. Users can easily type the secret manually if they cannot scan the QR code, without worrying about uppercase/lowercase or confusing 0 with O.

Base32 uses 32 characters and is case-insensitive with 60% size overhead. Base64 uses 64 characters, is case-sensitive, and has only 33% overhead. Base32 is more human-readable; Base64 is more space-efficient.

These digits are excluded because they can be confused with letters: 0 looks like O, 1 looks like I or L, 8 looks like B, and 9 can look like g. This prevents transcription errors when humans type encoded strings.

Yes! Google Authenticator and similar TOTP apps use Base32-encoded secrets. You can encode a secret to share with users or decode existing secrets for backup purposes.

Crockford Base32 is a variant that uses 0-9 and A-Z (excluding I, L, O, U) with additional error-correction features. It can detect common transcription errors. Our tool uses standard RFC 4648 Base32.

No, Base32 is encoding, not encryption. It provides no security - anyone can decode Base32 data instantly. For security, use proper encryption before encoding.