Toolstia / Base32 encoder and decoder
Base32 encoder and decoder
Convert text to Base32 and back. Base32 uses only capital letters and the digits 2 to 7, so it is easy to read aloud and safe in places where upper and lower case could be mixed up.
Base32 follows RFC 4648. Authenticator app secret keys use this alphabet. Text is converted as UTF-8.
How it works
- Choose encode or decode.
- Paste your text.
- Copy the result.
What Base32 is
Base32 turns bytes into a text made from 32 characters: A to Z and 2 to 7. Every 5 bytes become 8 characters.
Padding
The standard adds = signs at the end so the length is a multiple of 8. You can switch padding off when you encode, and decoding works either way.
Where it is used
Authenticator apps share their secret keys as Base32 text. It is also used in some file names and identifiers.
Unicode text
Text is converted as UTF-8, so accents, symbols and other alphabets round-trip correctly.
Questions
Is Base32 encryption?
No. It is only an encoding, and anyone can decode it.
Why does decoding fail?
The text may contain characters outside A to Z and 2 to 7, or the decoded bytes may not be valid text.
Is my text stored?
Everything happens in your browser, and nothing you type is sent anywhere.