Encode text or files to Base64 and decode Base64 strings back to plain text — instantly in your browser, nothing sent to a server.
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using only 64 printable ASCII characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /). It converts every 3 bytes of binary data into 4 ASCII characters, making binary data safe to transmit over text-based protocols like HTTP, email (SMTP), and XML.
Common use cases include: embedding images directly in HTML or CSS as data URIs (data:image/png;base64,…), transmitting binary files in JSON or XML API payloads, encoding credentials in HTTP Basic Authentication headers, storing binary data in text-only formats like cookies or URL parameters, and embedding fonts in CSS stylesheets.
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. It provides zero security — anyone can decode a Base64 string instantly. Never use Base64 to hide sensitive data. For security, use proper encryption (AES, RSA) or hashing (bcrypt, SHA-256) instead.
Yes. Use the "Encode a file instead" option to select an image from your device. The tool reads the file and outputs its Base64 content, which you can embed in HTML as a data URI: <img src="data:image/png;base64,YOUR_BASE64">. This is useful for inlining small icons to reduce HTTP requests.
Base64 increases data size by approximately 33%. Every 3 bytes of input becomes 4 ASCII characters of output, plus possible = padding. A 100 KB image becomes roughly 133 KB as Base64. For large files this overhead is significant, so Base64 is best suited for small assets.