Base64 Encoder/Decoder

Convert text and data to Base64 encoding and back. Essential for web development, APIs, data URIs, and authentication tokens. Instant, accurate, and free.

Base64 Encoder/Decoder

What is Base64?

Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII text format using 64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It is used to safely transmit binary data over text-based protocols like email, JSON, or URLs.

Common Use Cases

🔐 API Authentication: Basic Auth headers encode credentials as Base64.
🖼️ Data URIs: Embed images in HTML/CSS using base64 encoding.
📧 Email Attachments: MIME encodes attachments as Base64 for transmission.
🔑 JWT Tokens: JSON Web Tokens use Base64URL encoding for header and payload.

Example

Original: Hello World!

Base64: SGVsbG8gV29ybGQh

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Base64 encryption?

No! Base64 is encoding, not encryption. It is easily reversible and provides no security. Do not use it to hide sensitive data — use proper encryption instead.

Why does Base64 increase file size?

Base64 increases size by ~33% because it represents 3 bytes of binary data using 4 ASCII characters. This overhead is the cost of text-safe transmission.

What are the = signs at the end?

The = signs are padding to make the output length a multiple of 4. They are required by the Base64 specification and indicate how many bytes the original data had.

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