Base64 Encoder / Decoder
Encode text to Base64 or decode it back, with safe Unicode handling, URL-safe output, line wrapping and data URIs. Everything runs locally — nothing leaves your browser.
Input
Output updates live as you type.
Output
EncodedEncode or decode a file
Stays on your deviceFrequently asked questions
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption. It is trivially reversible by anyone and provides no confidentiality. Never use it to protect secrets — use real encryption instead.
Does it handle Unicode and emoji?
Yes. Text is encoded as UTF-8 bytes before Base64, so emoji and non-Latin characters round-trip correctly. Many naive encoders break on emoji — this one does not.
Are my files uploaded?
No. All processing happens locally in your browser. No file ever leaves your device.
About Base64
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding that represents binary data using 64 ASCII characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /), with = padding. It is commonly used to embed binary data in JSON, XML, HTML, CSS, email (MIME), and data URIs, and to transmit data over channels designed for text.
The URL-safe variant swaps + → - and / → _ and drops padding, making the output safe for URLs, filenames and query strings. This tool supports both standard and URL-safe forms, line wrapping for compatibility with legacy systems, and conversion to data URIs for embedding files directly in markup.
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About this tool
This free online tool runs entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device — there is no server processing, no tracking, and no signup required. Use it as often as you need, on any device.
· Maintained by the Forge Engineering Team
How This Calculator Works
This tool encodes and decodes text using the Base64 scheme defined in RFC 4648. Base64 converts binary data into a 64-character ASCII alphabet (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /) so it can be safely transmitted over text-only protocols like email and JSON. Every 3 bytes of input become 4 characters of output, with = padding. All encoding and decoding happens entirely in your browser using the native btoa() and atob() functions — no data is sent to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. Anyone can decode it instantly — it provides zero security. Its purpose is to make binary data safe for text-based systems. For security, use encryption (AES, RSA), not Base64.
Does Base64 increase file size?
Yes. Base64 encoding increases data size by approximately 33% — every 3 bytes of input becomes 4 Base64 characters. A 1 MB file becomes about 1.33 MB when Base64-encoded.
What is Base64URL?
Base64URL (RFC 4648 §5) replaces + with - and / with _ so the output is safe in URLs and filenames without percent-encoding. It also omits = padding. It is commonly used in JWT tokens.
Sources & References
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