Back to Tools
Base64 Encode / Decode
About the Base64 Encode / Decode
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to readable text. Base64 is used to carry binary or special characters safely inside text formats such as JSON, HTML and email.
How to use the Base64 Encode / Decode
- Paste your content in the input box.
- Press Encode to convert text to Base64, or switch to decode to reverse it.
- Copy the Result.
Worked example
"Hello" encodes to SGVsbG8=.
Round trip. The text Hello encodes to SGVsbG8=, and decoding that string gives Hello again.
When to use the Base64 Encode / Decode
- Encoding data so it can travel safely in email, JSON or URLs.
- Decoding a Base64 string found in a config file, token or API response.
- Embedding small images in HTML or CSS as data URIs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating Base64 as encryption. It only changes the format and anyone can decode it.
- Forgetting that Base64 makes data about a third larger.
- Decoding text that is not valid Base64, which produces garbled output.
Tips
- Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode it, so never use it to hide secrets.
- Base64 output is about one third larger than the original data.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are padding that makes the output length a multiple of four characters.
Padding, which fills the string out to a length divisible by four.
No. Never use it to hide passwords or private data.