How the Base64 encoder and decoder works
Type or paste text and encode it to Base64, or paste Base64 and decode it back to text. Base64 represents binary or text data using a set of 64 printable characters, which makes it safe to embed in places that expect plain text, such as URLs, JSON, data URIs, and email. Everything runs locally in your browser.
What Base64 is for
Base64 is an encoding, not encryption; it does not hide or secure data, it just reformats it so it survives systems that only handle text. Common uses include embedding small images as data URIs, encoding credentials for HTTP basic auth headers, and packaging binary data inside JSON or XML payloads.
Unicode support
Plain Base64 only handles bytes, so this tool encodes text as UTF-8 first, which means emoji and accented characters round trip correctly. If you decode something that is not valid Base64, the tool will tell you rather than producing garbage, so you can check for stray spaces or missing padding characters.
Privacy and tips
Since encoding and decoding happen on your device, you can safely work with private strings. Remember that anyone can decode Base64 instantly, so never use it to protect secrets; use real encryption for that. The character count helps you see how much encoding inflates size, typically by about a third.
Frequently asked questions
Is Base64 encryption? No, it is a reversible encoding with no security; anyone can decode it.
Does it handle emoji and accents? Yes, text is encoded as UTF-8 so Unicode round trips correctly.
Why did decoding fail? The input is not valid Base64, often due to extra spaces or missing padding.
Related tools: JSON Formatter, Hex to RGB, Password Generator.