Base64 Encoder

Encode text to Base64 format for safe data transmission over text-based protocols.

Input
Enter text to encode
Base64 Output
Encoded text

What is Base64 Encoding?

Base64 is an encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII text format using 64 printable characters. It's widely used for transmitting data safely over text-based protocols.

Key Features

  • Text-Safe: Converts any data to printable ASCII characters
  • No Special Characters: Only uses A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /, and =
  • Reversible: Can be decoded back to original data
  • Size Increase: Encoded data is ~33% larger than original

How It Works

  1. Data is divided into 6-bit groups
  2. Each group is mapped to a character from the Base64 alphabet
  3. Padding (=) is added if needed

Common Use Cases

  • Email Attachments: MIME email encoding
  • Data URIs: Embed images in HTML/CSS
  • Basic Authentication: HTTP Basic Auth headers
  • JSON/XML: Embed binary data in text formats
  • URLs: Safe encoding of binary data in URLs
  • Tokens: JWT tokens use Base64

Example

Input: Hello, World! Base64: SGVsbG8sIFdvcmxkIQ==

Note the "==" padding at the end to make the length a multiple of 4.

Not Encryption

⚠️ Important: Base64 is encoding, NOT encryption. It doesn't provide security - anyone can decode it. Use encryption for sensitive data.