Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 to text instantly
Use this free Base64 encoder and Base64 decoder to convert text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to readable text. Supports UTF-8 characters including emojis. 100% client-side — your data never leaves your browser.
A-Z | 26 uppercase letters |
a-z | 26 lowercase letters |
0-9 | 10 digits |
+ | Plus sign |
/ | Forward slash |
= | Padding character |
| MIME attachments | |
| Web | Data URIs for images |
| APIs | Binary data in JSON |
| Auth | Basic authentication |
| Storage | Cookies, localStorage |
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that converts binary data into a string of ASCII characters. It uses 64 printable characters to represent binary data, making it safe for transmission over text-based protocols that might otherwise corrupt binary data.
The name "Base64" comes from the fact that it uses a 64-character alphabet. Each Base64 character represents exactly 6 bits of data, so 4 Base64 characters encode 3 bytes (24 bits) of original data.
The encoding process follows these steps:
A common misconception is that Base64 provides security. It does not. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. Anyone can decode Base64 data instantly — it provides zero security.
Never use Base64 to "hide" sensitive information like passwords, API keys, or personal data. If you need to protect data, use proper encryption algorithms like AES or RSA.
Base64 encoding converts binary data into ASCII text using 64 printable characters. It's used to safely transmit binary data over text-based systems like email, HTTP, and JSON. The Base64 alphabet includes A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, and /.
Select the Encode tab above, type or paste your text in the input area, and click the Encode button. The Base64-encoded result appears instantly. Click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
Select the Decode tab, paste your Base64 string in the input area, and click Decode. The original text will appear in the output. If the input is invalid Base64, you'll see an error message.
Yes, completely safe. This Base64 encoder runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your data is never sent to any server. All encoding and decoding happens locally on your device.
Yes! This tool fully supports UTF-8 encoding, which means it handles emojis, accented characters, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and all other Unicode characters correctly.
Base64 increases data size by approximately 33%. This is because every 3 bytes of binary data become 4 Base64 characters. The tradeoff is that the data becomes safe to transmit over text-only systems.
No! Base64 is encoding, not encryption. It provides zero security — anyone can decode it instantly. Never use Base64 to protect sensitive data. Use proper encryption (AES, RSA) for security.
The = character is padding. Base64 output must be divisible by 4 characters. If the original data doesn't produce enough characters, = signs are added at the end (0, 1, or 2 padding characters).