What Base64 Is (and Isn't)
Base64 turns any data into 64 printable characters so it survives text-only systems — data URLs, email attachments, JSON payloads, JWT segments and HTTP basic auth. Every 3 bytes become 4 characters, so output is about 33% larger than the input.
It is not encryption. Anyone can decode Base64 instantly — never use it to "protect" passwords or secrets. For genuinely strong secrets, use our Password Generator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 represents binary data using 64 printable characters so it survives text-only systems — email, data URLs, JSON payloads and HTTP basic auth.
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption — anyone can decode it instantly. Never use it alone to protect secrets.
Does this tool support emoji and non-English text?
Yes. Text goes through UTF-8 before encoding, so emoji, accents, Chinese, Arabic and all Unicode characters work correctly.
What is URL-safe Base64?
A variant replacing + with - and / with _ so the result works in URLs and filenames without escaping. Toggle it with the URL-safe option.