What Base64 actually does
Base64 isn't encryption — it's a way to represent any data using only 64 plain text characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and two symbols). That matters whenever something can only carry text safely: embedding an image directly in a CSS or HTML file, putting binary data in a JSON field, or moving attachments through email, which was Base64's original job. Encoding makes data larger by roughly a third, so it's a transport convenience, not a way to save space or hide information.
How to use it
- Paste text or a Base64 string into the input.
- Click Encode to turn readable text into Base64, or Decode to reverse it.
- Copy the result. Emoji and non-English characters are handled through UTF-8, so accents and scripts survive the round trip.
Common uses
- Inlining a small icon as a
data:URL so it loads with the page. - Reading the payload of a token or header that was Base64-encoded.
- Storing a short binary blob inside a text-only format like JSON or XML.
Questions people ask
Is Base64 secure? No. Anyone can decode it instantly — this very tool does. Never use it to protect passwords or secrets; use real encryption for that.
Why did my decoded text look wrong? The original was probably not UTF-8 text (for example, a raw image). Decoding shows the underlying bytes, which only read as text if the source was text.
Does the text leave my browser? No. Encoding and decoding run locally on your device.