Instantly convert data to and from Base64. A secure, private, and powerful online converter that works entirely in your browser.
Base64 is a widely used encoding scheme that converts any binary data—such as images, documents, or even simple text—into a universally recognized ASCII string format. The primary purpose of this conversion is to ensure that data can be transmitted safely through systems that are designed to handle only plain text, preventing corruption or data loss.
It's crucial to understand that Base64 is an encoding method, not an encryption algorithm. It provides no security and is easily reversible. Its goal is data integrity during transport, not data confidentiality.
The Base64 encoding process follows a precise set of steps:
=) are added to the end to ensure the output length is a multiple of 4.| Use Case | Description |
|---|---|
| Data URLs (URIs) | Embedding assets like images or fonts directly into an HTML or CSS file (e.g., data:image/png;base64,...). This can reduce HTTP requests and improve load times for small files. |
| Email Attachments (MIME) | The MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) standard uses Base64 to encode binary file attachments, ensuring they travel through text-based email systems without corruption. |
| API Payloads (JSON/XML) | Transmitting binary data, like a user-uploaded image or a PDF document, within a text-only JSON or XML structure without breaking the format's syntax. |
| Basic HTTP Authentication | The credentials (username:password) in the Basic authentication scheme are combined and encoded using Base64 before being sent in the HTTP header. |
All conversion logic is executed client-side in your browser. Your data, text, or files are never sent to our servers, guaranteeing your privacy.
Our tool leverages optimized JavaScript to provide instant conversions for both text and large files without any server-side delay.
Created by developers who understand the need for a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly utility in a professional workflow.
No, Base64 is an encoding method, not encryption. It is easily reversible and provides no confidentiality. It is used to safely transport binary data across text-only systems, not to secure it from being read.
Base64 increases the data size by approximately 33%. This happens because every 3 bytes (24 bits) of original data are represented as 4 ASCII characters (32 bits) in the Base64 alphabet. This trade-off is necessary to ensure data integrity during transmission.
The '=' character is padding. Since Base64 processes data in 3-byte chunks, if the original data is not a perfect multiple of 3 bytes, one or two '=' characters are added to the end. This ensures the output string's length is a multiple of 4, which is required for the decoding process to work correctly.
Base64 is primarily used to transmit binary data over text-only channels. Common uses include embedding images directly in HTML or CSS (Data URIs), sending file attachments in emails (MIME standard), and including binary data within text-based formats like JSON or XML.
Yes. This tool is completely safe and private. All encoding and decoding operations happen entirely in your browser using JavaScript (client-side). Your data is never uploaded to any server, ensuring total confidentiality and security.