Etoolio

Base64 Encoder / Decoder

Free Base64 encoder and decoder. Convert text or data to Base64 and decode Base64 strings back to plain text instantly and privately in your browser.

Updated

Features

  • Base64 Encoding: Convert any text to Base64 format
  • Base64 Decoding: Decode Base64 back to original text
  • Copy to Clipboard: One-click copying of results
  • Real-time Processing: Instant encoding/decoding
  • UTF-8 Support: Full support for international characters

How to Use

  1. Enter your text in the input field
  2. Click "Encode to Base64" to convert text to Base64
  3. Click "Decode from Base64" to convert Base64 back to text
  4. Click on the output area to copy results to clipboard

What is Base64?

Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It's commonly used for:

  • Email attachments (MIME)
  • HTTP Basic Authentication
  • Data URLs in web applications
  • Storing binary data in JSON
  • API authentication tokens

Base64 Encoding Process

The Base64 encoding process works as follows:

  1. Convert the input string to binary
  2. Group the binary data into 6-bit chunks
  3. Convert each 6-bit chunk to a corresponding ASCII character
  4. Add padding characters (=) if necessary

Common Use Cases

Base64 encoding is essential for:

  • Email Systems: Attaching files to emails
  • Web Development: Embedding images in HTML/CSS
  • API Development: Sending binary data in JSON
  • Authentication: HTTP Basic Auth headers
  • Data Storage: Storing binary data in text-based systems

Base64 Examples

Here are some examples you can test with our tool:

Text to Base64

Input: Hello World
Output: SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=

Base64 to Text

Input: SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=
Output: Hello World

Base64 Character Set

Base64 uses the following 64 characters:

  • Uppercase letters: A-Z (26 characters)
  • Lowercase letters: a-z (26 characters)
  • Digits: 0-9 (10 characters)
  • Special characters: + and / (2 characters)
  • Padding character: = (used for padding)

Security Considerations

Important security notes about Base64:

  • Base64 is not encryption - it's encoding
  • Base64 encoded data can be easily decoded
  • Don't use Base64 for sensitive data without additional encryption
  • Base64 increases data size by approximately 33%

Technical Details

Our Base64 tool supports:

  • Standard Base64 encoding (RFC 4648)
  • UTF-8 character encoding
  • Automatic padding detection
  • Error handling for invalid Base64
  • Cross-browser compatibility

Note: This tool processes data entirely in your browser for privacy and security. No data is sent to our servers.

Good to know

Base64 Encoder / Decoder, frequently asked questions

Is my data sent to a server?

No. Base64 encoding and decoding happen entirely in your browser, nothing is uploaded or stored.