stego · encode · lsb · png · local

Hide secret text inside a PNG image

LSB steganography in the red channel — visually indistinguishable, recoverable with the matching decoder. Runs locally.

Steganography Encoder
Carrier
—
pick file
Capacity
—
max payload
Used
0 B
0.0%
Total
0 B
bytes
input · image

image/* · runs locally · nothing uploaded

output · preview
Pick an image to begin
Quick Start

How it works

Pick an image, tune the options, then download the result. Everything runs in your browser.

  1. 01

    Pick a carrier image

    Any image works as input — it becomes a PNG after encoding.

    Files stay in memory as an HTMLImageElement — the original bytes are never uploaded, and EXIF metadata is preserved until you explicitly transform it.

    inputuploadcanvaslocaldecode
    input · bytesimage · loaded
    load: image/*
    loaded · decodedcanvas · ready
  2. 02

    Type your message

    UTF-8 text. The bar at the bottom shows how much of the image's capacity is used.

    Encoder quality is exposed where the format supports it — JPEG and WebP get a 0–1 quality slider; PNG is lossless. Options re-render the canvas immediately.

    textoptionslive previewencoderquality
    len · tunable0 chars · live
    utf8.encode(text)
    options applied · liveencoder · live
  3. 03

    Write LSB bits

    The length (32 bits) and payload are written to the red channel's LSB, pixel by pixel.

    Pixel work runs on the Canvas 2D context — drawImage resamples with the browser’s bilinear filter and getImageData/putImageData back per-pixel passes.

    lsbrenderCanvas 2Dpreviewpx-perfect
    bits · resampled0 · px-perfect
    R = R & ~1 | bit
    preview · livepx-perfect
  4. 04

    Download PNG

    Save as PNG — JPEG would destroy the hidden bits.

    Downloads ship via a hidden anchor with an object URL — no server round-trip, and the file on disk is untouched. The output filename inherits a sensible suffix.

    exportdownloadblobclient-sideobject URL
    ok · blobready · saved
    stego.png
    shipped · ready to shipsuccess
Pro tips

Browser-only image work that scales

Convert with quality control

JPEG/WebP let you pick a 0–1 quality. Default 0.92 is a good compromise of size and visible quality.

PNG isn’t free

Use PNG only for transparency or sharp edges. For photos, WebP is smaller at the same perceived quality.

Strip EXIF for privacy

Photo EXIF often contains GPS, camera model, and timestamps. Strip before sharing public uploads.

Watch the colour profile

Convert to sRGB before web export. Wide-gamut images render oversaturated in non-managed browsers.

AVIF when it’s available

AVIF beats WebP on size at the same quality. Detect support via <picture> with fallbacks.

Lazy-load below the fold

Add loading="lazy" on <img>. The browser handles scheduling — no IntersectionObserver needed.

Use Cases

When to use this tool

Common workflows it speeds up.

CTF challenges

Build your own LSB-stego puzzles. Decoded into a Canvas 2D context — original bytes never leave the tab, so you can process customer-uploaded photos, internal screenshots, or sensitive diagrams without privacy concerns.

px-perfect

Hidden watermarks

Embed authorship strings invisibly. Encoders expose quality 0–1 where the format supports it (JPEG, WebP); PNG and AVIF stay perceptually lossless. Pick 0.85 for web, 0.95 for archival, 0.7 for thumbnails.

quality-tunable

Easter eggs

Drop secret messages into shareable images. Pair with the EXIF Stripper before sharing user-uploaded photos publicly. Camera serial numbers, GPS coordinates, and timestamps often hide in image metadata and leak more than the picture itself.

format-aware

Image checksums

Carry hashes in the file without metadata. Output preserves colour profile (sRGB) so it renders consistently across browsers, monitors, and print pipelines. Wide-gamut workflows can opt into Display P3 for modern Apple devices.

EXIF-safe

Teaching

Demonstrate steganography in security classes. Re-runs only on option changes, never on window resize, so the canvas stays responsive on large images. drawImage uses the browser's bilinear filter for fast resampling.

client-side

Casual notes

Send a secret tagline tucked into a photo. Downloads as .png, .jpg, .webp, or .avif with the correct MIME so editors apply native handling on save. The filename inherits a sensible suffix derived from the input.

compression-ready
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

PNG is lossless. JPEG re-encoding destroys the LSB bits we just wrote, so the payload cannot survive.
It's obfuscation, not encryption. Anyone with the decoder (or a similar tool) can read it. Encrypt the text first if it matters.
Practically no — we're flipping the least-significant bit of red. The shift is below human perception.
Not in this UI — only UTF-8 text. Base64-encode binary data into text first.
No. Everything runs locally in your browser.
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