Base64 Encoder/Decoder
Encode text to Base64 or decode Base64 back to text, with full Unicode support.
How to use Base64 Encoder/Decoder
- Choose Encode to convert text to Base64, or Decode to convert Base64 back to text.
- Paste your input — the result updates instantly.
- Turn on URL-safe mode if you need the variant that replaces '+' and '/' and omits padding.
About this tool
The Base64 Encoder/Decoder converts text to and from Base64 — correctly handling Unicode text (accented letters, CJK characters, emoji), not just plain ASCII. It also supports the URL-safe Base64 variant used in things like JWTs, which replaces the '+' and '/' characters and drops padding. All processing runs instantly in your browser — nothing is uploaded or sent to a server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does decoding sometimes show an error?
Base64 uses a specific set of 64 characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, '+', '/', with '=' for padding) — or '-' and '_' instead of '+' and '/' for URL-safe Base64. If the input contains characters outside that set, or isn't a valid length, it can't be decoded.
What is URL-safe Base64?
Standard Base64 uses '+' and '/', which have special meaning in URLs and need escaping. URL-safe Base64 replaces them with '-' and '_' and typically omits the '=' padding, so the result can be used directly in a URL or filename. JWTs use this variant.
Is Base64 encryption?
No — Base64 is just a way of representing binary data as text; it provides no security or confidentiality. Anyone can decode it instantly, including with this tool.