What is ROT13?
ROT13 (rotate by 13 places) is a simple letter substitution cipher that replaces each letter with the letter 13 positions after it in the alphabet. Our Text Rotator applies ROT13 or any custom rotation to your text.
Because the alphabet has 26 letters, applying ROT13 twice returns the original text—making it a self-reversing cipher. This property makes it perfect for hiding spoilers or puzzle answers that recipients can easily reveal.
How ROT13 Works
| Original | ROT13 | ROT13 Again |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Uryyb | Hello |
| Secret | Frperg | Secret |
| Puzzle | Chmmyr | Puzzle |
🎭 Fun Fact
ROT13 became popular on Usenet (early internet forums) for hiding joke punchlines and movie spoilers. Recipients knew to apply ROT13 to reveal the hidden text!
Common Uses
Spoiler Protection
Hide plot twists, puzzle solutions, or game spoilers. Readers who want to see the content can decode it; others are protected from accidental exposure.
Educational Puzzles
Create simple ciphers for classroom activities, escape rooms, or geocaching. ROT13 is easy enough for beginners to decode by hand.
Obfuscation (Not Security!)
Temporarily hide text from casual observation. Remember: ROT13 is trivial to decode and offers zero security. Never use it for sensitive data.
Other Rotation Values
While ROT13 is most famous, you can rotate by any amount:
- ROT1: A→B, B→C (minimal shift)
- ROT5: A→F, B→G (numbers often use ROT5)
- ROT47: Includes numbers and symbols
- ROT25: Just like ROT1 backwards
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ROT13 secure encryption?
Absolutely not! ROT13 is a trivial cipher that anyone can decode in seconds. It's meant for light obfuscation, not security. For real encryption, use proper cryptographic algorithms.
Does it work with numbers?
Standard ROT13 only affects letters. Numbers, punctuation, and spaces remain unchanged. Some variants (ROT47) include more character types.
Can I decode text encrypted with a different rotation?
If you know the rotation amount, apply the opposite (26 minus rotation). ROT13 is special because 13+13=26, so it reverses itself.