Base64 Encoder & Decoder

Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that converts binary data into a string of ASCII characters. It uses 64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /) to represent data, making it safe to transmit binary data over text-based protocols like email or HTTP.

To encode text to Base64: 1) Enter or paste your text in the input field, 2) Select 'Encode' mode, 3) The Base64 encoded output appears instantly, 4) Click 'Copy' to copy the result. In JavaScript, you can use btoa() for ASCII text or the TextEncoder API for Unicode.

To decode Base64: 1) Paste your Base64 string in the input field, 2) Select 'Decode' mode, 3) The decoded text appears instantly, 4) Click 'Copy' to copy the result. In JavaScript, use atob() for ASCII or TextDecoder with Uint8Array for Unicode.

No, Base64 is NOT encryption. Base64 is an encoding scheme that can be easily reversed by anyone. It provides zero security. Never use Base64 to 'hide' passwords, API keys, or sensitive data. For security, use proper encryption algorithms like AES or hashing algorithms like bcrypt for passwords.

Base64 increases data size by approximately 33% because it converts every 3 bytes of binary data into 4 ASCII characters. This overhead is the trade-off for being able to safely transmit binary data through text-only channels.

Common Base64 uses include: 1) Data URLs for embedding images in HTML/CSS, 2) Email attachments (MIME encoding), 3) Basic HTTP authentication headers, 4) Storing binary data in JSON or XML, 5) Encoding binary data for APIs, 6) JWT token segments.

Base64URL is a URL-safe variant of Base64. It replaces '+' with '-' and '/' with '_', and typically omits padding '=' characters. This makes it safe for use in URLs and filenames without requiring additional encoding.

Yes, Base64 can encode any binary file including images, PDFs, audio, video, and executables. However, remember that the encoded output will be ~33% larger than the original file, so it's not ideal for large files.

To encode an image to Base64: 1) Read the image file as binary data, 2) Convert the binary to Base64 string, 3) Prepend the data URL prefix (e.g., 'data:image/png;base64,'). In JavaScript, use FileReader.readAsDataURL() for the easiest approach.

Invalid character errors occur when: 1) The input contains characters outside the Base64 alphabet, 2) The string has incorrect padding, 3) There are hidden whitespace or newline characters. Clean your input and ensure it's valid Base64 before decoding.