CONVERTERS
Encoding Inspector
Inspect text for likely Base64, hex, URL, HTML, Unicode, JWT, and binary formats.
LOCAL INSPECTION
Inspect an encoded value
Encoding inspection and decoding happen in your browser and your values are never uploaded.
Encoding inspector guide
Encoding Inspector checks a value against several common text representations: Base64, Base64URL, hexadecimal bytes, URL percent-encoding, HTML entities, Unicode escapes, JWT-shaped values, and 8-bit binary. It reports possible matches rather than pretending that detection is certain.
Use the explicit decode buttons when you want to apply a known transformation one step at a time. The input and results stay in your browser.
Why detection is necessarily heuristic
Encodings do not always identify themselves. A short string can be valid plain text, Base64, hexadecimal, or several of these at once. A hash, identifier, compressed payload, or encrypted value can also look like an encoding.
The inspector therefore shows evidence such as valid alphabets, successful decoding, UTF-8 validity, and printable output. Treat the result as a lead for investigation, not proof of origin.
Use explicit steps for layered values
Real values are often wrapped more than once: a URL parameter may contain Base64, or a JSON string may contain Unicode escapes. Choose one decoder at a time and inspect the result before continuing.
The tool does not recursively decode automatically. That avoids silently changing data or turning an ambiguous input into a misleading answer.
Encoding is not security
Base64, hexadecimal, URL escapes, HTML entities, and Unicode escapes are reversible representations. They do not provide confidentiality. Encrypted and compressed data may be impossible to preview as UTF-8 even when the bytes are valid.
Frequently asked questions
Can the inspector always identify an encoding?
No. Detection is heuristic because many formats overlap and short strings provide little evidence.
Does a JWT-shaped value mean the token is valid?
No. It only has three Base64URL-looking segments. Signature and claim validation must happen in the application with a trusted library and policy.
Why does a hash appear as possible hex?
Hashes are commonly printed as hexadecimal, so the character pattern is valid. That does not mean the digest can be decoded back to the original input.
Privacy note: Encoding inspection happens in your browser. Your values are not submitted to NAB Tools.