Base64 Encoder / Decoder
Base64 FAQ
What is Base64 used for?
Base64 is used to encode binary data into a text format, making it safe to transmit over text-based protocols like email or JSON.
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is only an encoding scheme, not a form of encryption or hashing.
Why does Base64 increase data size?
Base64 encoding expands data size by about 33% since every 3 bytes of input become 4 bytes of output.
Can Base64 be reversed?
Yes. Base64 encoding is fully reversible, which means encoded data can always be decoded back to its original form.
Where is Base64 commonly used?
It is widely used in embedding images in HTML/CSS, encoding API keys, email attachments (MIME), and safely transmitting binary files in text protocols.
What is Base64 Encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data in an ASCII string format. It is commonly used to encode data that needs to be stored and transferred over media designed to deal with textual data. This includes embedding images into HTML/CSS, encoding API keys, or transferring binary files over text-based protocols.
Base64 works by dividing input bytes into groups of three and converting them into four ASCII characters. It uses a set of 64 characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, and /) with "=" as padding.
While Base64 encoding makes data transferable and safe for text systems, it also increases data size by approximately 33%. It should not be used as a method of encryption or security. Instead, it is simply a method for encoding binary into a safe string format.