What is Base64 used for?

Base64 represents binary data as ASCII text. It's used in email attachments (MIME), data URLs, JWT tokens, and anywhere binary must travel through text-only systems.

Does Base64 encrypt my data?

No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption — anyone can decode it. Don't use Base64 to protect secrets.

What's the difference between standard and URL-safe Base64?

Standard Base64 uses + and / characters. URL-safe Base64 replaces them with - and _ so the string can be used in URLs and filenames without escaping.

How much does Base64 encoding inflate file size?

Approximately 33% larger — every 3 bytes of binary data become 4 Base64 characters.

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Base64 Encoder / Decoder

Encode or decode Base64 strings — works for text and files.

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About this tool

Convert between plain text and Base64. Supports UTF-8, files (any binary), and URL-safe Base64. Decoding auto-detects the variant.

How to use

1 Select Encode or Decode mode.
2 Paste your text or drag-and-drop a file.
3 The output appears instantly. For files, the result is a Base64 data URL.
4 Click Copy to copy the result to your clipboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

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