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Drop a file here or click to browse
Images, documents, any file — max 10MB
Input (Text)
Characters: 0
Bytes: 0
Output (Base64)
Characters: 0
Bytes: 0
Ratio: —
What is Base64 Encoding?
Base64 is a group of binary-to-text encoding schemes that represent binary data in an ASCII string format. Each Base64 digit represents exactly 6 bits of data, using characters A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, and /, with = for padding.
Common Use Cases
- Email attachments — MIME encoding uses Base64 to embed binary files in email
- Data URIs — Embed images directly in HTML/CSS with
data:image/png;base64,... - API payloads — Safely transmit binary data in JSON payloads
- Authentication — HTTP Basic Auth encodes credentials in Base64
- Storing binary in text — Databases, config files, cookies
URL-Safe Base64
Standard Base64 uses + and / which have special meaning in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces these with - and _, and optionally omits padding (=).
Size Overhead
Base64 encoding increases data size by approximately 33%. A 3-byte input produces 4 Base64 characters. This tool shows the exact ratio for your data.