Base64 Encoder/Decoder
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings.
Text input
Base64 output
What is Base64?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using 64 ASCII characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It was designed to transmit binary data over systems that only handle text, like email (MIME) or embedding data in URLs and HTML.
Common Uses for Base64
- Email attachments use MIME encoding for binary files
- Data URIs embed images directly in HTML or CSS
- HTTP Basic Auth uses Base64 to encode credentials
- JSON payloads often encode binary data this way for transport
- URL parameters and cookies sometimes store complex data as Base64
Base64 is Not Encryption
Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode Base64 text instantly. Never use Base64 to protect sensitive information like passwords or API keys.
Base64 increases data size by approximately 33%. A 3-byte input becomes 4 characters of output. This is the tradeoff for safe text transmission.