How to Avoid = in the Output of b32encode.decode() in Python

Discover how to generate QR codes for Google Authenticator in Python without the `=` symbol in the output using base32 encoding.
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Understanding the Problem

When generating a secret using base32 encoding (b32encode), you may be faced with a situation where the encoded string contains one or more = characters at the end. This padding is added to ensure that the encoded output is a multiple of 8 characters long. Unfortunately, it can cause compatibility issues with certain applications, such as Google Authenticator on iOS.

Example Use Case

In your code, you might have something like this to generate a secret:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Here, the secret variable will sometimes include = at the end, which is not recognized by the Google Authenticator app on iPhone devices.

Solution: Avoiding Padding with =

The key to solving this issue is understanding the byte size and how base32 encoding works. The encoding process divides the input data into groups of 5 bits each, which can result in padding when the number of bits is not a multiple of 5.

Steps to Generate a Base32 Secret Without =

Implement the change: Here’s the modified code to generate the secret without any = padding:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why This Works

By changing the length of the generated byte data, you ensure that the base32 encoding process has a complete set of bits to encode, allowing it to skip the padding stage entirely. Thus, the output will be a clean string that is acceptable for use with Google Authenticator on all platforms, including iOS.

Conclusion