What is the difference between Base64 and Base32?

Base64 uses 64 characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /) and encodes 3 bytes into 4 characters. Base32 uses only 32 characters (A–Z, 2–7) and encodes 5 bytes into 8 characters. Base32 output is longer but case-insensitive and safe for case-insensitive systems like DNS.

Is my data sent to a server?

No. The entire conversion happens inside your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is transmitted to any external server.

What Base32 alphabet does this tool use?

This tool uses the standard RFC 4648 Base32 alphabet: uppercase letters A through Z and digits 2 through 7, with = as the padding character. It does not use the extended hex (Base32hex) variant.

What if my Base64 string has invalid characters?

The tool will display an inline error message if the Base64 input is malformed or contains characters outside the valid Base64 alphabet. Fix the input and the output updates automatically.

Can I convert Base32 back to Base64?

Yes. Click the Swap button to switch directions and convert a Base32 string back into its Base64 representation.

Should I include the padding characters (=)?

Standard RFC 4648 Base32 includes = padding to make the output length a multiple of 8. Some systems (like many 2FA libraries) accept unpadded Base32. Use the "Include padding" toggle to control this.

Base64 to Base32 Converter

Paste a Base64 string and instantly get the equivalent Base32-encoded output, decoded and re-encoded entirely in your browser.

Base64 Input

0 characters Include padding (=)

Base32 Output

0 characters

Quick Examples

Summary

This tool decodes a Base64 string into its raw binary form, then re-encodes those bytes using the standard RFC 4648 Base32 alphabet (A–Z, 2–7). It runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server. Padding characters (=) are included by default and can be toggled off for environments that require unpadded Base32.

How it works

Paste or type a Base64-encoded string into the input field.
The tool decodes the Base64 data into raw bytes using the browser's atob() function.
The raw bytes are then re-encoded using the RFC 4648 Base32 alphabet (A–Z and 2–7).
The resulting Base32 string appears instantly in the output panel.
Use the Copy button to copy the output, or toggle padding with the checkbox.
Click Swap to reverse direction and convert Base32 back to Base64.

Use cases

Generate Base32 secrets for TOTP/2FA authentication from Base64-encoded keys.
Convert JWT or Base64 tokens into Base32 for systems that require case-insensitive encoding.
Encode binary data in Base32 for DNS labels or URL-safe identifiers.
Debug encoding pipelines by inspecting intermediate Base32 representations.
Prepare Base32 keys for QR-code-based secret sharing workflows.
Cross-verify encoding tools during security audits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-05-28 · Reviewed by Nham Vu