A short UUID is the same 128-bit value as a normal UUID, just written in a denser alphabet. By encoding the UUID in base58 instead of hexadecimal, the 36-character form collapses to about 22 characters with no hyphens — ideal for URLs, share links, and compact identifiers.
This converter works in both directions and entirely in your browser: turn a UUID into a short ID, or expand a short ID back into the exact original UUID.
How short UUIDs work
The conversion treats the UUID as a single 128-bit integer and re-expresses it in base58, the alphabet popularised by Flickr and Bitcoin. Base58 omits easily-confused characters (0, O, I and l), so the resulting IDs are safe to read aloud, type, and place in URLs.
Because it is a pure change of base, the process is completely reversible: every short ID maps back to exactly one UUID, with no data lost. This tool uses the same scheme as the widely-used short-uuid library.
When to use short UUIDs
Reach for a short UUID when you want the uniqueness guarantees of a UUID but a tidier string for user-facing URLs, QR codes, or share links — for example /p/mhvXdrZT4jP5T8vBxuvm75 instead of a long hyphenated path.
Internally you can keep storing the canonical UUID (or its binary form) and only shorten it at the edges. If you need sortable IDs as well as compact ones, generate a UUID v7 or a ULID first, then shorten it here.
Frequently asked questions
- How short is a short UUID?
- Encoding a 128-bit UUID in base58 produces a string of up to 22 characters, compared with 36 for the standard hyphenated form.
- Is converting to a short UUID reversible?
- Yes. It is simply a base conversion of the same 128-bit number, so every short ID expands back to exactly the original UUID with no loss.
- Are short UUIDs URL-safe?
- Yes. Base58 uses only letters and digits (excluding 0, O, I, and l) with no hyphens or special characters, so short UUIDs drop straight into URLs.