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Base64 Encode & Decode
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 to text, with full Unicode support. Runs in your browser.
About this tool
Base64 is a way of representing binary or text data using only 64 safe ASCII characters. This tool encodes text to Base64 and decodes Base64 back to text, with full Unicode support - so emoji and accented characters survive the round trip intact.
What Base64 is used for
- Data URIs - embedding small images or fonts directly in HTML and CSS.
- Email attachments - MIME encodes binary files as Base64.
- Tokens & config - JWTs and many API keys are Base64 (or Base64URL) encoded.
- Embedding data - passing binary safely through systems that only accept text.
How it works
Encoding groups your bytes into 6-bit chunks and maps each to a character from A–Z, a–z, 0–9, plus + and /, padding the end with =. The result is about a third larger than the original - Base64 is for safe transport, not compression. Decoding reverses the process. This tool encodes text as UTF-8 first, so it handles any language correctly.
All encoding and decoding happens in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere. Working with web addresses instead? The URL Encoder & Decoder handles percent-encoding.
Frequently asked questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 represents data using 64 safe characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, + and /). It lets binary or text data pass safely through systems that only handle plain text.
Does Base64 encrypt my data?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption - anyone can decode it. Never use it to protect secrets; use it only to transport data safely.
Does it support emoji and accented characters?
Yes. Text is treated as UTF-8 before encoding, so emoji, accents, and non-Latin scripts encode and decode correctly.
Why is my decoded text garbled or showing an error?
The input probably is not valid Base64 - it may have extra spaces, missing padding (=), or characters outside the Base64 alphabet. Check that you pasted the full string.
Is my text sent to a server?
No. Encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser.
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