Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data into a text string using 64 printable ASCII characters. It's commonly used to embed binary data (images, files) in text-based formats like JSON, HTML, CSS, and email.
data: URIsStandard Base64 uses + and / which have special meanings in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces these with - and _, making it safe to use in URLs without percent-encoding.
Base64 is used to encode binary data (like images, files, or certificates) as plain ASCII text so it can be safely transmitted through text-based channels like email, JSON, or XML. It is also commonly used to embed small images directly in CSS and HTML as data URIs.
Paste your Base64 string (a long string of letters, numbers, +, /, and = signs) into the decoder and click Decode. The original text or data will be shown. Be aware that Base64 can encode any binary data, so the decoded result may not always be readable text.
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. Anyone who sees Base64-encoded data can easily decode it. It is used for data compatibility and transport, not security. For security, use proper encryption like AES or TLS.
Base64 encodes 3 bytes of binary data as 4 ASCII characters. This means the encoded output is always approximately 4/3 (about 33%) larger than the original. This size overhead is the trade-off for being able to transmit binary data as text.
Standard Base64 uses + and / characters, which have special meanings in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces + with - and / with _, making it safe to include in URLs and filenames without encoding. This tool supports both variants.