Base64 Encoder / Decoder
Encode text or files to Base64. Supports URL-safe, data URI, and MIME line wrapping.
What is the Base64 Encoder & Decoder?
The Base64 Encoder/Decoder is an essential utility for developers dealing with data serialization. Base64 is an encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format.
It is commonly used to embed small images directly into CSS or HTML as data URIs, encode API keys in Authorization headers, or safely transmit data over media that deal only with text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 converts binary data into a 64-character alphabet (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It's primarily used to ensure data remains intact during transport across systems.
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. It provides zero security or confidentiality. Anyone can decode a Base64 string back to its original form.
Why use Base64 for images?
Encoding small images (like icons) into Base64 data URIs eliminates extra HTTP requests, which can speed up initial page load times and improve SEO.
Can Base64 encode files?
Yes! While text is most common, Base64 can encode any binary file, including PDFs, images, and audio, though it increases the file size by roughly 33%.
Does this tool store my data?
Never. All encoding and decoding operations happen locally in your web browser. No data is sent to external servers.