Base64
Encode & decode
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Base64 encoding?
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that converts binary data into ASCII characters. It uses 64 characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /) to represent data safely in text-based systems.
Why use Base64 encoding?
Base64 is used to safely transmit binary data through text-only channels like email, URLs, and JSON. It ensures data integrity when the transport doesn't support binary.
Is Base64 encryption?
No, Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode Base64 data. It provides no security - only a way to represent binary data as text. Never use Base64 to hide sensitive information.
Why does Base64 increase data size?
Base64 encodes 3 bytes of data into 4 ASCII characters, resulting in approximately 33% size increase. This is the trade-off for compatibility with text-based systems.