Base64 Encoder & Decoder
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 strings back to readable text.
Encode & Decode
About Base64 Encoding
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It's commonly used to encode data that needs to be stored and transferred over media designed to deal with textual data.
Common Use Cases
- Email Attachments: Encoding binary files for SMTP transmission
- Data URIs: Embedding images directly into HTML or CSS
- API Authentication: Encoding credentials in HTTP headers
- Configuration Files: Storing binary data in text-based configs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format by translating it into a radix-64 representation. It is commonly used to encode data that needs to be stored and transferred over media that are designed to deal with textual data.
Is Base64 secure for passwords?
No, Base64 is not encryption. It is an encoding scheme. Anyone can decode Base64 strings back to their original format. Never use Base64 alone to store passwords or sensitive information; use proper hashing algorithms like bcrypt or Argon2 instead.
Why does the output end with = symbols?
The equals sign (=) at the end of a Base64 encoded string is a padding character. It ensures that the length of the encoded string is a multiple of 4, which is required by the Base64 encoding standard.
Can I encode images or files?
Yes, Base64 can encode any binary data including images, PDFs, and other files. However, the encoded string will be approximately 33% larger than the original file size. For large files, consider using file upload services instead.
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