What is Base64 encoding?

Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that converts binary data into an ASCII string format. It's used in APIs, email attachments, and data transmission where binary data needs to be represented as text.

Why use Base64 encoding?

Base64 encoding is useful for transmitting binary data over text-only channels like email or JSON APIs. It's also used for authentication (Basic Auth), embedding images in HTML/CSS, and securely passing data in URLs.

What is URL-safe Base64?

URL-safe Base64 replaces '+' with '-' and '/' with '_' to make the encoded string safe for use in URLs and filenames. Standard Base64 contains characters that have special meaning in URLs.

Can I decode Base64 from files?

Yes! You can paste Base64 text directly or upload a text file containing Base64 data. The decoder will convert it back to the original text or binary format.

Base64 Encoder & Decoder

Encode text and files to Base64, or decode Base64 strings. Support for UTF-8, ASCII, and URL-safe encoding.

Input Method

Text File

Text to Encode

URL-Safe Encoding

Replace + with - and / with _

76 Chars per Line

Adds line breaks for readability

Input Method

Text File

Base64 to Decode

Input Size

Characters: 0

Bytes: 0 B

Output Size

Characters: 0

Bytes: 0 B

How to Use

Choose tab – Select Encode or Decode
Select input method – Paste text or upload a file
Configure options – Choose URL-safe or line breaks if needed
Process – Click Encode or Decode and see results

Example

Original Text:

Hello, World!

Base64 Encoded:

SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==

URL-Safe Base64:

SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==

(Same in this case, but URL-safe changes + → - and / → _)

Use Cases

API authentication – Basic Auth headers encode credentials as Base64
JSON payloads – Embedding binary or secure data in JSON APIs
Email attachments – Email systems use Base64 for binary attachments
Data URLs – Embedding images in HTML/CSS as data URIs
URL-safe tokens – Passing encoded data in query strings and URLs

Related Tools

JSON Formatter – Format and validate JSON data
Regex Tester – Test patterns and extract data
Token Counter – Count tokens in your text
Prompt Cost Calculator – Estimate API costs