Base64 Encode / Decode
Convert text to Base64 and back — Unicode-safe, with a URL-safe mode. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.
About this tool
Base64 shows up everywhere in development: API keys in config files, images inlined as data URLs, JWT segments, email attachments, basic auth headers. This free tool encodes text to Base64 and decodes it back, correctly handling full Unicode (emoji included) and offering a URL-safe variant for tokens and links.
It runs 100% in your browser — worth caring about here more than almost anywhere, because the strings people decode are frequently credentials and tokens. Paste them into a server-side converter and you've just shared them; paste them here and they never leave your machine.
How to use it
- To encode: type in the left box and press Encode.
- To decode: paste Base64 in the right box and press Decode.
- Tick URL-safe when working with JWTs, links or cookies.
- Copy the result with one click.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data sent to a server?
No — encoding and decoding run entirely in your browser. That matters for Base64 specifically, because the strings developers decode often contain tokens, credentials or personal data that should never be pasted into a server-side tool.
What is Base64 actually for?
Base64 represents binary or text data using 64 safe ASCII characters, so it can travel through systems designed for plain text — JSON payloads, HTTP headers, data URLs, email attachments and basic auth headers all use it.
Is Base64 encryption?
No — this is the most common misconception. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption: anyone can reverse it instantly, with no key. Never use it to protect secrets; use real encryption for that.
Does it handle emoji and non-English text?
Yes. Text is converted through UTF-8 before encoding, so emoji, accented characters, Arabic, Chinese and every other Unicode script encode and decode correctly — unlike naive btoa-based tools that fail on them.
What is the URL-safe option?
Standard Base64 uses + and / characters, which have special meanings in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces them with - and _ and drops padding, producing strings safe to put in links, cookies and JWTs.