What is Base64 encoding?

Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It uses 64 characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /) and padding (=) to encode any data into a text-safe format.

Is Base64 encoding the same as encryption?

No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. Anyone can decode a Base64 string. It provides no confidentiality or security. Never use Base64 as a substitute for proper encryption.

Why does Base64 make data larger?

Base64 encodes every 3 bytes of input into 4 ASCII characters, resulting in approximately 33% larger output. This trade-off allows binary data to be safely transmitted over text-based protocols.

What are common uses of Base64?

Common uses include: data URIs for embedding images in HTML/CSS, encoding credentials in HTTP Basic Authentication headers, encoding email attachments (MIME), and transmitting binary data in JSON or XML payloads.

Does this tool handle Unicode text?

Yes. This tool properly encodes and decodes UTF-8 text, including special characters, accented letters, and emoji.

Developer Tools

Base64 Encode & Decode

Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings back to plain text. Useful for data URIs, API tokens, email encoding, and embedding binary data in text formats like JSON or XML.

Text input

1 line • 34 chars

Paste text, keep line numbers visible, and convert or copy the Base64 output without leaving fullscreen mode.

Quick examples

Base64 output

SGVsbG8sIEFpc2hhLiBZb3VyIGJ1aWxkIGlzIHJlYWR5Lg==