What file types can I convert to Hex?

You can convert absolutely any file type to Hex (Hexadecimal/Base16) format—images (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG), documents (PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, CSV), archives (ZIP, RAR, TAR), audio files (MP3, WAV, FLAC), video files (MP4, AVI, MOV), executables, databases, and more. Hex encoding works at the binary level, converting raw bytes to hexadecimal text, so it handles all file formats equally. The encoded output is always a text string using only 0-9 and A-F characters, with exactly 2 hex digits per byte. This makes Hex perfect for debugging binary files, analyzing file signatures, creating checksums, examining memory dumps, and any situation where you need human-readable representation of binary data.

How do I encode a file to Hex?

Click the upload area or drag and drop your file onto the page. The tool will immediately read the file, convert its binary content to Hexadecimal format, and display the encoded text. You can then copy the Hex string to your clipboard or download it as a text file. The encoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript—your file is never uploaded to any server. For large files, encoding may take a few seconds as the browser processes all the bytes. The tool shows file details including name, type, size, and the resulting Hex string length. Remember that Hex doubles the size—a 1 MB file becomes 2 MB of hex text (2 characters per byte).

Why does Hex encoding double the file size?

Hex encoding has 100% overhead because each byte (8 bits) is represented by exactly 2 hexadecimal characters. For example, a byte with value 255 becomes "FF" (2 characters), and a byte with value 65 becomes "41" (2 characters). This is different from Base64 which has only 33% overhead, or Base32 which has 60% overhead. While Hex is less space-efficient, it is the most human-readable format—anyone can manually read and verify hex values, and each byte maps directly to exactly 2 characters with no padding needed. Use Hex when readability and simplicity matter more than space efficiency, such as for debugging, checksums, file signatures, memory dumps, and manual data verification.

Is there a file size limit for Hex encoding?

There is no hard file size limit imposed by the tool, but practical browser memory limitations apply. Most modern browsers can handle files up to 50-250 MB without issues. Larger files may work but could cause your browser to slow down or run out of memory, especially on mobile devices. Remember that Hex encoding doubles file size—a 10 MB file becomes 20 MB of hex text (2 hex characters per byte). For very large files (over 500 MB), consider using command-line tools instead of browser-based encoders, or process the file in chunks. The tool processes files entirely in browser memory, so available RAM determines the maximum practical file size.

Can I encode images and photos to Hex?

Yes! Upload any image file (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, BMP, TIFF, SVG) and the tool will convert it to Hex format. The tool shows a preview of the image before encoding and displays the Hex output. Keep in mind that images encoded to Hex double in size—a 3 MB photo becomes 6 MB of hex text. This is useful for analyzing file headers and signatures (PNG files start with "89504E47"), debugging image corruption, examining image metadata in hex editors, verifying checksums of image files, or studying binary image formats. After encoding, you can decode the Hex string back to the original image using a Hex to File decoder. Hex is less practical for image transmission than Base64 but excellent for debugging and analysis.

What does the Hex output look like for a file?

The Hex output is a long string of hexadecimal digits (0-9) and letters (A-F, case-insensitive). For example, a small text file might encode to "48656C6C6F" while a 100 KB file produces 200,000 hex characters. The output length is exactly double the original file size in bytes (2 hex characters per byte). You can copy this entire string to clipboard, save it to a text file, use it for checksum verification, analyze it in a hex editor, or examine file signatures. Each pair of characters represents one byte: "48" is byte 72 (ASCII "H"), "65" is byte 101 (ASCII "e"), etc. To recover the original file, you need to decode the Hex string using a Hex to File decoder, which converts pairs of hex characters back to the original bytes.

How do I read file signatures in Hex?

File signatures (also called magic numbers) are the first few bytes of a file that identify its type. After encoding a file to Hex, look at the first 8-16 hex characters. Common signatures: PNG images start with "89504E47" (hex for PNG header bytes); JPEG images start with "FFD8FF"; PDF documents start with "25504446" (hex for "%PDF"); ZIP archives start with "504B0304" (hex for "PK"); GIF images start with "474946" (hex for "GIF"). Operating systems and applications use these signatures to identify file types regardless of the file extension. You can verify if a file is truly a PNG even if it has a .txt extension by checking the hex signature. This is useful for detecting file corruption, verifying downloads, or analyzing unknown files.

Is my file safe when using this encoder?

Yes, completely safe! All file encoding happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your file is never uploaded to any server, never transmitted over the internet, and never stored anywhere except temporarily in your browser memory. Once you close or refresh the page, all data is immediately cleared. This client-side approach ensures complete privacy—even the most sensitive files (financial documents, personal photos, proprietary data, encryption keys) can be safely encoded without leaving your device. However, remember that Hex is encoding, not encryption. Anyone with the Hex string can decode it back to your original file, so keep hex-encoded sensitive data secure.

Can I encode password-protected or encrypted files?

Yes! Hex encoding works on the encrypted binary data. If you encode a password-protected ZIP file or an encrypted PDF, the Hex output represents the encrypted file, not the decrypted contents. When you later decode the Hex string back to a file, you get the original encrypted file, and you will still need the password to open it. Hex encoding does not remove or bypass encryption—it simply converts binary data to hexadecimal text format. This is useful for transmitting encrypted files through text-only channels while maintaining their security, or for analyzing encrypted file structures. The encryption remains intact throughout the Hex encoding and decoding process.

What is the difference between Hex and Base64 for files?

Both encode binary files to text, but Hex (Base16) is more readable while Base64 is more efficient. Hex uses only 16 characters (0-9, A-F) and doubles file size (100% overhead), while Base64 uses 64 characters and adds only 33% overhead. A 1 MB file becomes 2 MB in Hex but only 1.33 MB in Base64. Hex is case-insensitive and easier for humans to read, verify, and type manually—great for debugging, checksums, file signatures, and manual data inspection. Base64 is case-sensitive but more compact—better for data transmission, APIs, email attachments, and embedding files in JSON/XML. Use Hex when readability and byte-level analysis matter. Use Base64 when space efficiency and standard compatibility matter.

File to Hex Encoder Online

Convert any file to Hex (Hexadecimal/Base16) format instantly. Upload images, PDFs, documents, or any file type and encode to readable Hex. 100% free, secure, and works in your browser.

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