Base64 Encode & Decode
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Encode plain text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to text — instantly, in your browser. Supports UTF-8. No data leaves your machine.
Latest Encoding articles
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What Base64 is, why it exists, how it differs from encryption, and where you encounter it daily — Kubernetes secrets, HTTP Basic Auth, JWTs, and data URIs.
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Learn how to Base64-encode images and files as data URIs for HTML embedding. Inline small icons and SVGs without a separate hosting dependency. Free browser-based Base64 encoder.
What is Base64?
Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data into a string of 64 ASCII characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /). It is used whenever binary data must travel through a text-only channel — email attachments, data: URIs, JWTs, and HTTP Basic Auth headers all rely on Base64 encoding.
How to Use
- Paste your text into the input box.
- Click Encode to convert plain text to Base64, or Decode to reverse it.
- The result appears immediately. Click Copy Output to copy it.
Common Use Cases
- JWT payloads — JWT header and payload sections are Base64URL-encoded JSON. Decode them to inspect claims.
- HTTP Basic Auth — Credentials are sent as
Authorization: Basic <base64(user:pass)>. Decode to verify what is being sent. - Kubernetes secrets — Secret values in
kubectl get secret -o yamloutput are Base64-encoded. - Inline images — Embed images in HTML/CSS as
data:image/png;base64,...to avoid extra HTTP requests.
FAQs
Is Base64 the same as encryption?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption — it is trivially reversible by anyone. Never use it to protect sensitive data; use proper encryption (AES, RSA) instead.
What is the difference between Base64 and Base64URL?
Base64URL replaces + with - and / with _, and omits padding (=) so the result is safe in URLs and HTTP headers. JWTs use Base64URL.
How much larger is Base64 output than the original?
Base64 encodes every 3 bytes as 4 characters, so encoded output is approximately 33% larger than the original input.