Free Online Base64 Encoder and Decoder
Convert plain text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to readable UTF-8 text. This browser-based utility is useful for inspecting API payloads, email content, data URIs, configuration values and encoded development data.
Base64 is an encoding format, not encryption. Use the encoder when binary-safe text transport is required and the decoder when you need to inspect an existing Base64 value.
Instructions
Encoding text to Base64
To encode text to Base64, simply type the text in the text box on the left or above, depending on your screen resolution. Changing the content of the text box named "text" automatically runs the function that encodes the content to Base64.
Decoding Base64 content to text
To decode Base64 content to text, simply paste the Base64 content in the text box on the right or below, depending on your screen resolution. When the "base64" text box has its content changed, the Base64 decoding function runs automatically.
What is Base64
Base64 is a method for encoding data using only 64 characters, typically chosen from a set that is common to email and web page encoding systems. The 64 characters include uppercase and lowercase letters (A-Z, a-z), numbers (0-9), plus two special symbols (+ and /). In some Base64 variants, the equals sign (=) is used as a padding character to ensure that the final string has a length that is a multiple of 4.
The Base64 encoding process takes binary data and splits it into 6-bit strings. Each 6-bit string is then mapped to one of the 64 characters in the Base64 set. Since each Base64 character represents 6 bits of data, it is efficient for encoding large amounts of information that need to be transferred or stored in a more readable way.
Base64 is commonly used in various applications, such as encoding email attachments to ensure they pass correctly through mail systems, encoding data in URLs, and converting images or other types of files into strings for embedding in XML or JSON documents. Although Base64 is useful for these purposes, it is important to note that it is not a form of encryption and should not be used to protect sensitive data.