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 safe ASCII characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It is one of the most fundamental encoding standards in web development, used extensively in HTTP Basic Authentication headers, email MIME encoding, JWT token payloads, data URIs for embedding images in HTML and CSS, and any scenario where binary data must be transmitted through text-only channels. The ToolPix Base64 encoder and decoder provides instant bidirectional conversion right in your browser.
Base64 encoding is essential when you need to safely transmit binary or non-ASCII data through text-only protocols and formats. JSON APIs cannot include raw binary data, so Base64 encoding is the standard approach for embedding images, files, and encrypted payloads in JSON responses. HTTP headers like Authorization: Basic use Base64 to encode credentials. Email attachments are Base64-encoded in MIME format. Understanding Base64 is a core skill for backend developers, API designers, and security engineers.
The ToolPix Base64 codec handles both encoding (text to Base64) and decoding (Base64 to text) with full support for Unicode characters, special symbols, and multi-byte text including non-Latin scripts like Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic. The tool uses the browser's native btoa/atob functions with proper UTF-8 handling to ensure accurate conversion. URL-safe Base64 variant (using - and _ instead of + and /) is also supported for use in URLs and filenames.
All processing happens 100% in your browser — your data is never sent to any server. This is critical when working with sensitive information like API keys, authentication credentials, encrypted payloads, or personal data. Whether you are a developer debugging JWT tokens, encoding API credentials, preparing data for MIME email attachments, or simply converting text for data URI embedding, this free online Base64 tool provides instant, private results with no limitations.
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.
Does this tool support Unicode and non-English text?
Yes. The encoder handles Unicode characters including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, and emoji through proper UTF-8 encoding before Base64 conversion.
What is URL-safe Base64?
URL-safe Base64 replaces + with - and / with _ to avoid conflicts with URL encoding. This variant is commonly used in JWT tokens, filenames, and URL query parameters.
Can I use Base64 in API authentication headers?
Yes. HTTP Basic Authentication encodes credentials as Base64 in the format username:password. Use this tool to encode or decode these credentials for testing and debugging API calls.
Is my data sent to any server?
No. All encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device, making this safe for sensitive credentials and tokens.