Base64 Encode / Decode
Encode plain text to Base64 or decode a Base64 string back to readable text.
About this tool
Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data or text into a string of ASCII characters using a 64-character alphabet. It is widely used in web development for embedding images in HTML and CSS, encoding authentication credentials, transmitting binary data in JSON payloads and handling email attachments. This tool encodes plain text to Base64 or decodes Base64 strings back to readable text.
How to use
Select Encode or Decode from the mode selector, paste your input in the text box and click Run. For encoding, enter plain text and receive the Base64-encoded string. For decoding, enter a Base64-encoded string and receive the original text.
When to use this tool
Use this when you need to encode credentials for a Basic Authorization header, when inspecting Base64-encoded data in a JWT or API payload, when embedding small images as data URIs, or when working with APIs that transmit binary content as Base64 strings.
Privacy
Base64 encoding and decoding is a common developer task that is easy to get wrong when done manually. This tool handles the encoding correctly including proper UTF-8 support for international characters.
Frequently asked questions
Does it support Unicode and international characters?
Yes. The tool uses UTF-8 encoding before Base64 conversion, which correctly handles all Unicode characters including accented letters, emoji and non-Latin scripts.
Is Base64 the same as encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding format, not encryption. It is easily reversible and does not provide any security. Never use Base64 as a substitute for proper encryption when security is required.
What is the difference between Base64 and Base64url?
Standard Base64 uses the characters + and / which have special meaning in URLs. Base64url replaces these with - and _ for safe use in URLs and filenames. This tool produces standard Base64 output.