What is Base64 Encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data using 64 ASCII characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /). It is widely used for encoding data in HTTP headers, JWT tokens, data URIs, and email attachments (MIME).
How to use this Base64 tool
- Type or paste text in the input box
- Click Encode to convert to Base64
- Click Decode to convert Base64 back to plaintext
- Use URL-safe Encode for Base64url (replaces + with - and / with _)
Common uses
- Embedding images in HTML/CSS as data URIs
- Encoding binary data in JSON or XML payloads
- HTTP Basic Authentication credentials
- JWT token encoding (header and payload sections)
FAQ
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode a Base64 string without a key. Do not use it to hide sensitive data.
Why does Base64 end with == sometimes?
Base64 pads the output with = characters to make its length a multiple of 4. One or two trailing = signs are normal.