Base64 Encode / Decode
Encode or decode Base64 strings. Supports text and file input.
About the Base64 Encoder / Decoder
The Base64 encoder and decoder converts text or binary data to and from Base64 format instantly in your browser. Paste a plain-text string to encode it, or paste a Base64 string to decode it back to readable text. You can also upload a file to encode its binary content.
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using 64 printable ASCII characters. It is widely used to embed binary files — images, fonts, PDFs — directly into HTML, CSS, or JSON payloads, and to safely transmit data in environments that only support text, like HTTP headers and email attachments. HTTP Basic Auth credentials are Base64-encoded before being sent in the Authorization header.
Note that Base64 is an encoding, not encryption — the encoded output can be trivially decoded by anyone. Never use Base64 as a security measure. All processing runs locally in your browser; no data is sent to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data to a string of 64 printable ASCII characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /). It's used to safely transmit binary data through text-only channels like email, HTTP headers, and JSON.
Is Base64 the same as encryption?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode a Base64 string without a key. Never use Base64 to protect sensitive data — use proper encryption (AES, RSA) instead.
When should I use Base64?
Use Base64 when you need to embed binary data in a text context: images in HTML/CSS (data:image/png;base64,...), Basic Auth credentials in HTTP headers, or binary payloads in JSON APIs that don't support multipart encoding.
Is my data safe when using this tool?
Yes. All encoding and decoding runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server at any point.
What is the difference between Base64 and Base64URL?
Base64URL replaces + with - and / with _, and omits padding (=). It's used in JWTs, URL-safe tokens, and file names. Standard Base64 uses + and / which require percent-encoding in URLs.