About the Base64 Encoder / Decoder
Base64 is an encoding scheme that represents binary data using 64 printable ASCII characters. It is used everywhere: email attachments (MIME), data URIs in HTML and CSS, HTTP Basic authentication headers, JSON Web Tokens and storing binary data in text-only systems.
The Base64 Encoder / Decoder converts text in both directions instantly as you type. Unlike many simple tools, it fully supports UTF-8, so emojis, Urdu, Arabic, Chinese and accented characters encode and decode correctly. Enable URL-safe mode to produce base64url output (using - and _ instead of + and /, without padding), which is used in JWTs and URLs. When decoding, data URI prefixes and whitespace are removed automatically.
How to use the Base64 Encoder / Decoder
- Choose Encode or Decode.
- Type or paste your text or Base64 string.
- Enable URL-safe mode if you need base64url.
- Copy the result.
Frequently asked questions
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is only an encoding, and anyone can decode it. Never use it to protect passwords or secrets.
Why does decoding show strange characters?
The Base64 may represent binary data such as an image or file rather than text. Try our Image to Base64 tool for images.
What is base64url?
A variant of Base64 that replaces + with - and / with _ and omits = padding, making it safe to use inside URLs and filenames.