Base64 Encode and Decode

About the Base64 Encode and Decode

Base64 turns text or data into a safe string of letters and numbers that can travel through systems built for plain text, such as emails, URLs and JSON. This tool encodes your text to Base64 and decodes Base64 back to readable text.

How to use the Base64 Encode and Decode

1. Type or paste text, or a Base64 string, into the box.
2. Click Encode to convert the text to Base64.
3. Click Decode to turn a Base64 string back into text.

Good to know

• Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode it, so never use it to hide passwords or private data.
• Text is handled as UTF-8, so accented letters and many other languages encode and decode correctly.
• Decoding fails with a message if the input is not valid Base64. Remove spaces and line breaks that were added by mistake.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Base64 make data longer?

Every 3 bytes of data become 4 characters, so the encoded text is about one third larger.

What does the equals sign at the end mean?

It is padding. It fills the last group so the encoded text has the right length.

Can I encode an image with this tool?

This version encodes text only.