Base64 Encode / Decode
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings instantly.
What is Base64?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data as an ASCII string. It is commonly used to embed binary data in JSON, HTML, emails, and URLs. This tool supports full Unicode text including CJK characters.
Use cases
- Embed small images or fonts inline in CSS or HTML using data URIs.
- Encode binary payloads so they can travel safely inside JSON or XML.
- Decode Basic Auth tokens (the value after "Basic " in the Authorization header).
- Inspect the payload section of a JWT (the middle segment between the dots).
Frequently asked questions
Does Base64 encryption protect my data?
No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption — anyone can decode it. Use it for transport, not for secrecy.
How much larger is Base64 output?
Base64 expands binary data by roughly 33% (every 3 bytes become 4 characters).
Does this tool support Chinese, Japanese, or emoji?
Yes. Input is first converted to UTF-8 bytes before encoding, so all Unicode characters round-trip correctly.
Why does my decoded result look garbled?
The input may be URL-safe Base64 (using - and _ instead of + and /) or may contain stray whitespace. Clean the string and try again.