Encode / Decode
Base64
Encode and decode Base64 text.
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About Base64
Base64 encoding is useful when binary or structured text has to travel through systems that expect plain text, such as headers, test fixtures, or configuration values.
Common uses
- Decode a Basic Auth header during local debugging.
- Encode a short JSON sample for a test case.
- Check whether copied Base64 text is padded and decodes cleanly.
Good to know
Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Do not treat Base64 output as secret or secure.
When Base64 is useful
Base64 is a transport encoding for bytes or text that need to pass through systems expecting printable characters. It is common in headers, test fixtures, data URLs, and configuration examples.
How to debug decoding
If decoding fails, check padding, copied whitespace, and whether the source used URL-safe Base64. A valid-looking value can still decode to bytes that are not readable text.
Common mistakes
Base64 does not hide secrets. Anyone with the value can decode it, so passwords, tokens, and private keys should still be handled as sensitive data.
Worked example: Encoding a short UTF-8 value
ToolsNHelpers
VG9vbHNOSGVscGVycw==
Base64 represents input bytes using printable characters. It is reversible and provides no confidentiality, so it must never be described as encryption.
Technical reference
The behavior described on this page was reviewed against RFC 4648: Base-N Encodings. External standards remain authoritative when their requirements differ from a browser implementation.
Before you rely on the output
- Check whether the source expects a full document, a URL component, bytes, Unicode text, or another encoding boundary before copying the result.
- Privacy mode: inputs are processed locally in your browser and are not intentionally sent to an application server.