DEV · Encoding

Base64 Encoder & Decoder

Convert text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings back to readable text in your browser. Perfect for quick dev tasks, debugging, or working with HTTP headers, data URIs, and small payloads.

  • Encode plain text into a Base64 string.
  • Decode Base64 back into human-readable text.
  • Works with UTF-8 text so non-ASCII characters are handled correctly.
  • All processing happens locally in your browser. Your data is never uploaded.

Type or paste text on the left and click Encode to get Base64. Paste Base64 and click Decode to convert it back to text.

Plain text
Click Encode to convert this text into a Base64 string.
Base64
Click Decode to convert this Base64 into readable text.
All encoding and decoding happens in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server.

Summary

Last operation
Waiting for input…
Type some text or paste Base64, then click “Encode” or “Decode”.
No operation yet
Plain text characters
0
Characters in the text area
Base64 characters
0
Characters in the Base64 area
Estimated bytes (UTF-8)
0
Size of plain text before encoding
Base64 length ratio
0
Base64 length ÷ plain length
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding. Use “Encode” to convert text to Base64, or “Decode” to turn a Base64 string back into readable text. It is not encryption and should not be used for secrets on its own.

What does the Base64 Encoder & Decoder do?

This tool lets you quickly convert between plain text and Base64. When you click Encode, it takes the text you enter, converts it to UTF-8 bytes, and then encodes those bytes using the Base64 algorithm. When you click Decode, it takes a Base64 string, decodes it back into bytes, and then converts those bytes back into readable UTF-8 text.

Base64 is not encryption. It’s just a way to represent binary data (bytes) using a limited set of characters so it can safely travel through systems that expect text, such as URLs, HTML, or JSON.

Common uses for Base64

  • Embedding small images or files in HTML or CSS using data: URLs.
  • Encoding binary data inside JSON or XML payloads.
  • Storing or transmitting tokens, IDs, or other structured data in a text-only channel.
  • Debugging APIs that use Base64 for parts of their request or response bodies.

How encoding & decoding works in this tool

When you click Encode:

  • Step 1: Your text is converted to UTF-8 bytes.
  • Step 2: Those bytes are encoded into a Base64 string.
  • Step 3: The Base64 result is placed in the Base64 textarea and statistics are updated.

When you click Decode:

  • Step 1: The Base64 string is decoded back into raw bytes.
  • Step 2: Those bytes are interpreted as UTF-8 text.
  • Step 3: The decoded text is shown in the plain text area, or an error is displayed if the Base64 is invalid.

Is Base64 secure?

No. Base64 is not a security mechanism. It’s easy to decode and is intended only for data representation. If you need to protect sensitive information, use proper encryption or hashing algorithms instead of Base64 alone.

Tips for best results

  • Use this tool for small snippets. It’s ideal for short strings, headers, and sample payloads.
  • Check both sides. After encoding, you can immediately decode the result to confirm you get back the original text.
  • Watch the length ratio. Base64 is typically about 33% longer than the original binary data. The summary shows how the lengths compare.

Use this Base64 Encoder & Decoder whenever you need a quick, browser-based way to convert between text and Base64 for development, debugging, or learning purposes.