Base64 Encode & Decode
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings back to plain text. Supports UTF-8 characters.
About Base64 Encoding
Base64 is a group of binary-to-text encoding schemes that represent binary data using 64 ASCII characters. It is commonly used in web development to embed images in CSS, encode API authentication tokens, handle email attachments, and transfer binary data over text-based protocols.
This tool encodes and decodes Base64 entirely in your browser using the built-in btoa() and atob() functions with UTF-8 support. No data is sent to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It is commonly used to embed images in HTML/CSS, encode email attachments (MIME), pass data in URLs, and store binary data in JSON or XML.
Is Base64 encryption?
No, Base64 is NOT encryption. It is an encoding scheme that is easily reversible. Anyone can decode a Base64 string. Never use Base64 to protect sensitive data — use proper encryption (AES, RSA) instead.
Why does Base64 increase the size?
Base64 encoding increases the data size by approximately 33%. This is because it converts every 3 bytes of input into 4 ASCII characters. The padding character "=" is added when the input is not a multiple of 3 bytes.
Does this tool support UTF-8?
Yes. BytePane's Base64 tool fully supports UTF-8 characters including emojis, accented characters, Chinese/Japanese/Korean characters, and any Unicode text.