What Is Base64 Encoding? A Simple Explanation With Examples

Base64 shows up in email attachments, web tokens, API requests and data URIs. It looks like random text, but it is simply another way of writing data so it can travel safely through systems built for plain text.

What Base64 does

Base64 converts data into a set of 64 safe characters: A–Z, a–z, 0–9, plus + and /, with = for padding. For example, the text Hello becomes SGVsbG8=.

Where it is used

• Email attachments are sent as Base64 text.
• Data URIs embed images in HTML and CSS (see Image to Base64).
• APIs use it for basic authentication headers and binary data in JSON.
• Tokens such as JWTs use a URL-safe variant.

How to encode or decode

1. Open Base64 Encode and Decode.
2. Paste your text or Base64 string.
3. Choose encode or decode and copy the result.

Try it now: Base64 Encode and Decode is free, works in your browser and needs no signup.

Works with every language

The tool uses UTF-8, so Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese text and emoji encode and decode correctly.

Base64 is not encryption

Anyone can decode Base64 in a second. Never use it to hide passwords or secrets; it only changes the format, not the security.

Encoding happens in your browser. Working with JSON too? Try the JSON Formatter.

Try it now: Base64 Encode and Decode is free, works in your browser and needs no signup.