Free Base64 Encoder & Decoder Developer Tool Online
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 instantly in your browser. Free UTF-8 Base64 encoder and decoder with no signup required.
IN: Text or Base64 · OUT: Base64 or text · RUNS: 100% in your browser
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Frequently asked questions
What is Base64 encoding used for?+
Base64 converts binary or text data into an ASCII-safe string, commonly used for embedding images in CSS or HTML, email attachments, and API tokens.
Does this tool handle special characters and emoji?+
Yes, the encoder correctly handles UTF-8 text, including accented characters and emoji, not just plain ASCII.
Can I decode Base64 that contains binary data?+
The tool is optimized for text. For binary files like images, decoded output may not display correctly as text but the underlying conversion is still accurate.
Is Base64 the same as encryption?+
No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. It provides no confidentiality and can be reversed by anyone instantly.
Why does Base64 output end with = or == sometimes?+
The = characters are padding, added when the input length isn't a multiple of 3 bytes, so the encoded output aligns to a multiple of 4 characters as required by the Base64 specification.
Why is Base64 output roughly 33% larger than the original?+
Base64 represents every 3 bytes of input as 4 ASCII characters, so encoded data is always about 4/3 the size of the original binary or text, which is the tradeoff for making it safe to transmit as plain text.
Can I use this to embed an image directly in CSS or HTML?+
Yes, encode your image file's binary content to Base64 (using a file-to-Base64 conversion) and wrap it in a data URI like data:image/png;base64,... for inline use, though this tool is primarily built for text input.
Is my input sent to a server for encoding or decoding?+
No, both directions run entirely in your browser using the built-in btoa/atob and TextEncoder/TextDecoder APIs.