How to use the Base64 tool
- Paste your text and choose Encode or Decode.
- Copy the result with one click.
What is Base64?
Base64 encodes binary or text data into a safe set of characters so it can travel through systems that only handle text — like embedding images in CSS, sending data in URLs, or storing tokens. It is encoding, not encryption, so it isn't a way to secure secrets.
Benefits
- Encodes and decodes text and data instantly.
- Runs in your browser, so whatever you paste stays on your device.
- Useful for data URIs, inspecting tokens and quick debugging.
- Free and unlimited.
Limitations to know
- Base64 is encoding, not encryption — it is trivially reversible and provides no security.
- Encoding increases the data size by roughly a third.
- Very large inputs are limited by your browser’s available memory.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating Base64 as a way to hide or protect sensitive data — it does neither.
- Ignoring the difference between standard and URL-safe Base64 (+ and / versus - and _).
- Copying an encoded string with stray line breaks that break decoding.
Alternatives
For genuine security you need real encryption, not this tool. To format or validate structured data, use the JSON Formatter.
Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by the AI Toolbox editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Is Base64 secure?
No — it's reversible encoding, not encryption. Don't use it to hide sensitive data.
Is my text uploaded?
No, everything runs locally in your browser.