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Base64 Encoder & Decoder

Encode text to Base64 or decode it back — instantly, locally, with full Unicode support.

About the Base64 Encoder & Decoder

This free tool converts text to Base64 and back, entirely in your browser using the Web Platform's TextEncoder/TextDecoder and btoa/atob. It correctly handles full Unicode — including accented characters and emoji — not just plain ASCII.

What Base64 is used for

Base64 represents arbitrary binary data using 64 printable ASCII characters, so it can be safely embedded in text-based formats that don't support raw binary — email attachments (MIME), data URIs for inline images in HTML/CSS, JSON payloads, JWT tokens, and Basic Authentication headers all use Base64.

Encoding is not encryption

Base64 provides no confidentiality — it's a reversible, publicly-known transformation, not a cipher. Anyone can decode Base64 text instantly with no key. If you need to protect sensitive data, use actual encryption (like AES) — Base64 is purely for safe transport through text-only channels.

How padding (=) works

Base64 processes input in 3-byte groups, converting each group into 4 output characters. When the total input isn't a multiple of 3 bytes, one or two = padding characters are appended to the output so a decoder knows how many meaningful bytes to reconstruct from the final group.

Frequently asked questions

What is Base64 encoding?

A way to represent binary data using 64 printable ASCII characters, commonly used to embed binary data in text formats like JSON, email, or URLs.

Is Base64 encryption?

No — it's encoding, not encryption. It provides no confidentiality; anyone can decode it instantly with no key required.

Why does Base64 text end with = signs?

Those are padding characters, added when the input length isn't an exact multiple of 3 bytes, so decoders know how many bytes to expect.

Does this tool support Unicode and emoji?

Yes — it UTF-8 encodes/decodes correctly, so accented characters and emoji round-trip properly, unlike naive ASCII-only implementations.

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