Base64 Encode & Decode

Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to text, with full Unicode support.

What Base64 is used for

Base64 turns any data into plain letters, digits and two symbols so that it can travel safely through systems that only handle text. It is used for email attachments, data URLs for small images in HTML and CSS, HTTP Basic authentication headers and the parts of a JSON Web Token.

Standard and URL-safe Base64

Standard Base64 uses + and / and pads the end with =. The URL-safe variant replaces them with - and _ and drops the padding, so the result can be placed in a web address. The decoder accepts both forms.

Frequently asked questions

Is Base64 encryption?

No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode it, so never use it to protect passwords or secrets.

Why is the encoded text longer?

Base64 represents every 3 bytes as 4 characters, so the output is about 33% larger than the input.

Does it support emoji and non-English text?

Yes. Text is converted to UTF-8 bytes before encoding and decoded as UTF-8, so all Unicode characters survive the round trip.

Related tools

Hash GeneratorGenerate SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384 and SHA-512 hashes of any text. Color ConverterConvert colors between HEX, RGB and HSL and pick a color visually. Password GeneratorCreate strong, random passwords with a cryptographically secure generator. QR Code GeneratorMake a QR code for a link, text, Wi-Fi network or contact and download it as an image. UUID GeneratorGenerate random version 4 UUIDs (GUIDs) one at a time or in bulk. Random Number GeneratorPick random numbers in any range, with or without repeats.