NanoID Generator: Short, URL-Safe Unique IDs
Long UUIDs are clumsy in links. NanoID gives you a short identifier that is safe to paste anywhere.
What is the NanoID Generator?
NanoID Generator produces compact, URL-safe identifiers that work well in links, file names, and database keys. The default length is 21 characters drawn from letters, digits, underscore, and hyphen, so the ID needs no encoding in a URL. It uses the browser or platform random source when available and falls back to plain random generation, labelled as such, when it is not.
How to use it
- Choose the ID length you need, or leave the default of 21.
- Press Generate NanoID.
- Copy the ID into your link, file name, or record.
Worked example
Generate with length 21 and the tool returns a 21-character ID using only that URL-safe alphabet.
How long is a default NanoID?
Twenty-one characters, drawn only from letters, digits, underscore, and hyphen.
Frequently asked questions
What makes NanoID URL-safe?
Its alphabet avoids characters that need escaping in URLs, so the ID can be pasted directly into a link.
Is a shorter ID still unique enough?
Shorter IDs have fewer combinations, so keep the default length for anything public or long-lived.