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base32 · RFC 4648 · encode · live

Encode & decode Base32

Convert UTF-8 text to RFC 4648 Base32 — the encoding behind TOTP secrets, magnet links, and DNSSEC. Optional padding, fully local.

Base32 Converter
Input
79 B
1 lines
Output
128 B
1 lines
Status
ready
live
Ratio
1.62×
out/in
input · text
output · base32
N52HAYLVORUDULZPORXXI4BPIV4GC3LQNRSTUYLMNFRWKQDFPBQW24DMMUXGG33NH5ZWKY3SMV2D2SSCKNLVSM2EKBCUQUCLGNIFQUBGNFZXG5LFOI6UK6DBNVYGYZI=
Quick Start

How to convert Base32

RFC 4648 Base32 uses A-Z and 2-7 — case-insensitive and safe for QR codes and filenames. Padding (=) keeps length a multiple of 8.

  1. 01

    Pick mode

    Choose encode (text → Base32) or decode (Base32 → text).

    Bytes flow through TextEncoder/TextDecoder for predictable UTF-8 semantics — emoji, surrogate pairs, and combining marks all encode losslessly.

    modeUTF-8TextEncoderlosslesslive
    mode · raw bytesencode · UTF-8
    encode · decode
    loaded · UTF-8MIME · ready
  2. 02

    Paste input

    UTF-8 text or Base32 — whitespace and padding are tolerated.

    Hash and signature operations call crypto.subtle from the Web Crypto API, so output matches OpenSSL / Node bit-for-bit.

    utf8Web Cryptosubtledeterministiclive
    input · optionstext · live
    JBSWY3DPEHPK3PXP
    options applied · livelive
  3. 03

    Toggle padding

    Drop trailing = for compact tokens; keep for strict RFC consumers.

    Options re-run instantly through useEffect + useMemo — switching URL-safe mode or padding doesn’t re-encode from scratch.

    paddingmemoisedoptionsinstantreactive
    pad · encodedon · ready
    MZXW6=== ↔ MZXW6
    encoded · livelossless
  4. 04

    Copy or download

    Output updates live. One click to clipboard.

    Copy uses the Async Clipboard API; downloads ship via Blob with the appropriate MIME (text/plain, image/png, …) so external tools recognise them.

    exportclipboardblobMIME-correctclient-side
    ✓ · copiedready · done
    ✓ Copied
    shipped · ready to shipsuccess
Pro tips

Encoding without surprises

Always UTF-8 first

Use TextEncoder / TextDecoder for bytes ↔ string conversion. btoa alone breaks on non-ASCII.

URL-safe vs standard Base64

Standard uses +, /, =; URL-safe swaps to -, _, no padding. Don’t mix them.

Hashes aren’t passwords

SHA-256 is fast; that’s good for fingerprints, bad for passwords. Use bcrypt / argon2 for credentials.

Watch padding rules

Some decoders are strict about = padding, others auto-pad. If round-trips fail at exactly 1 or 2 bytes, check padding.

Use Web Crypto for keys

Generate cryptographic keys via crypto.subtle, never Math.random. The latter is predictable.

JWT decode ≠ verify

Decoding a JWT just splits and base64-decodes. Verification needs the issuer’s public key / shared secret.

Related toolsBase64 EncoderBase58 ConverterBase45 ConverterBase62 ConverterText to HexURL Encoder
Use Cases

When to use Base32

OTP secrets, QR friendly tokens, case-insensitive IDs.

TOTP secrets

Google Authenticator and otpauth:// URIs use Base32. Output round-trips losslessly with the matching decoder — both run client-side, so end-to-end testing happens in a single tab. Encoding flows through TextEncoder for predictable UTF-8 semantics.

RFC-compliant

Magnet links

BitTorrent infohashes encode 20 bytes to 32 chars. Web Crypto's subtle.digest produces output that matches OpenSSL, GPG, and Node's crypto module byte-for-byte. That makes the result trustworthy as a content fingerprint, ETag, or integrity check.

p2p

DNSSEC NSEC3

Hashed owner names use Base32 hex variant. Pairs cleanly with HMAC, JWT, and signed-URL workflows where bit-level correctness matters. The browser's crypto stack is FIPS 140-validated in Chrome and Firefox, so it's production-grade.

lossless

Case-insensitive IDs

Voice-friendly identifiers (no 0/O/1/l confusion). Output uses canonical RFC 4648 / 7515 alphabets so curl, openssl, and any standards-compliant decoder accept it as input. URL-safe variants drop padding for tokens that travel in query strings.

byte-identical

QR payloads

Alphanumeric QR mode handles Base32 efficiently. Heavy hashing runs through useMemo so large inputs don't block typing. PBKDF2, bcrypt, and Argon2 expose configurable cost factors — tune for your threat model, not the default.

spec-grade

Filesystem safe

Works on case-insensitive filesystems like NTFS/HFS. Same input plus same options always yields identical bytes. That's the foundation for content-addressed storage (IPFS, Git, S3 ETags) and means the output is safe to commit to fixtures.

production-ready
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Base32 is case-insensitive and avoids lookalikes — better for humans, voice channels, and QR codes.
RFC 4648 mandates = padding to a multiple of 8. Many tokens (otpauth) drop it. Toggle to match your consumer.
No — this tool uses the standard RFC 4648 alphabet (A-Z 2-7). Base32hex (0-9 A-V) is a different variant.
Yes. Decoding normalises to uppercase before lookup.
No — encoding and decoding run locally in your browser.
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