Base64 Encoder & Decoder
Encode text, files, and images to Base64 format or decode Base64 strings back to their original format. Essential for web development and data transmission.
Base64 Converter
Encode or decode your data to/from Base64 format
Conversion Results
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Base64 Characters
Base64 Output
Base64 Analysis
Technical Details
Encoding Process
Data Information
Common Use Cases
Base64 Encoding Uses
Data URIs
Embed images and files directly in HTML/CSS
Email Attachments
Encode binary files for email transmission
API Data
Send binary data in JSON APIs
Basic Authentication
Encode credentials for HTTP auth headers
Best Practices
Not Encryption
Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Don't use for sensitive data.
Size Increase
Base64 increases data size by ~33%. Consider compression.
URL Safety
Use URL-safe encoding for web applications.
Performance
Consider binary alternatives for large files.
Base64 Technical Resources
Binary to Text
Base64 converts binary data to ASCII text, making it safe for text-based protocols like JSON, XML, and email.
33% Size Increase
Base64 encoding increases data size by approximately 33% due to 6 bits representing 8 bits of binary data.
Padding Characters
Base64 uses = padding characters to ensure the final encoded string length is a multiple of 4.
Web Standards
Widely used in web development for Data URIs, authentication, and transmitting binary data over HTTP.
Base64 FAQs
What is Base64 encoding used for?
Base64 is commonly used to encode binary data for transmission over text-based protocols. This includes email attachments, data URIs in web pages, storing complex data in JSON, and basic authentication headers.
Why does Base64 increase data size?
Base64 represents 6 bits of binary data with each character (64 possible characters). Since 6 bits is 3/4 of a byte, the encoded data is approximately 33% larger than the original binary data.
Is Base64 secure for sensitive data?
No, Base64 is encoding, not encryption. It provides no security or confidentiality. Base64-encoded data can be easily decoded by anyone. Always use proper encryption for sensitive information.
What are the padding characters (=) for?
Padding characters ensure that the Base64 string length is a multiple of 4. They indicate how many padding bytes were added during encoding and help decoders determine the original data length.
What's the difference between standard and URL-safe Base64?
URL-safe Base64 replaces the + and / characters with - and _ respectively, making the encoded string safe to use in URLs and filenames without requiring URL encoding.