B32
Base32 Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode text with Base32 (RFC 4648).
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How to use Base32 Encoder / Decoder
Encode or decode text with Base32 (RFC 4648).
- Enter the text you want to convert into the Your text field.
- Set Operation to encode for text to Base32, or decode to reverse it.
- Press Run and copy the RFC 4648 result.
When you actually reach for this
- You are handing a secret to a human who will type it (a TOTP seed, a recovery key) and want to avoid 0/O/1/l confusion.
- A spec or API mandates RFC 4648 Base32, such as Google Authenticator export or some DNS-based records.
Where this tool stops being accurate
- Base32 is even more verbose than Base64 (about 60% larger) because it uses only 32 clear characters.
- Case handling varies by implementation; some libraries are case-insensitive while others are not, so confirm before comparing two strings.
Frequently asked questions
What does Base32 Encoder / Decoder do?
Encode or decode text with Base32 (RFC 4648).
My authenticator app rejects the Base32 secret I pasted — what went wrong?
Almost always a stray space, a missing padding =, or an O where there should be a 0. Strip whitespace, keep it uppercase, and make sure the length is a multiple of 8.
When should I pick Base32 over Base64?
Only when a person has to read or type the value, or a downstream system forbids ambiguous characters. For machine-to-machine transport, Base64 is shorter and more common.