Base64 Encode / Decode
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings with full Unicode support. All processing happens in your browser.
How to Encode/Decode Base64
- 1
Enter Text
Type or paste the text you want to encode, or a Base64 string to decode.
- 2
Choose Operation
Click Encode to convert text to Base64, or Decode to convert Base64 back to text.
- 3
View Result
See the converted output instantly in the result field.
- 4
Copy Output
Click Copy to copy the result to your clipboard.
What is Base64 Encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using a set of 64 ASCII characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It's widely used in web development, email systems, and data storage.
Base64 encoding is essential when you need to transmit binary data through text-only channels like JSON APIs, HTML attributes, or email headers. It ensures data integrity during transmission without corruption.
This tool provides instant bidirectional conversion — encode any text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings back to readable text. All processing happens in your browser for complete privacy.
Key Features
Common Use Cases
- •Encode API authentication credentials for HTTP headers
- •Decode Base64 strings found in JWT tokens or API responses
- •Prepare data for embedding in HTML data attributes
- •Encode email attachment data for MIME encoding
- •Debug Base64-encoded configuration values
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 used for?
Base64 is used to encode binary data as text for safe transmission through text-only protocols like HTTP, SMTP, and JSON. Common uses include encoding images, authentication tokens, and encrypted data.
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. It's easily reversible and provides no security. Anyone can decode Base64. For security, use proper encryption algorithms.
Why is Base64 output larger than the input?
Base64 uses 6 bits per character instead of 8, resulting in output that is approximately 33% larger than the original binary data.
Can I encode/decode files with this tool?
This tool encodes/decodes text strings. For encoding image files as Base64, use our Image to Base64 tool. For decoding image Base64 strings, use our Base64 to Image tool.