Base64 encoder / decoder
DevNo. 01 / 24approved
Encodes text to base64 and back, with full UTF-8 so accents and emojis survive. Plus a URL-safe mode for tokens and URLs that hate the equals sign.
base64 is not encryption — it's a jacket, not a safe.
work surface
Math, not advice — results are indicative. Read the disclaimer.
most-used utilities
Hello world
aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ= — the base64 of the tutorial universe.
With accents
UTF-8 survives the trip. Accents included.
An emoji
👋 encodes fine. base64 has no opinion on fashion.
Decode a token
aGVsbG8gd29ybGQ= back to hello world.
URL-safe
No "=" padding — for URLs and tokens with standards.
Tiny JSON
eyJvayI6dHJ1ZX0= — JSON in, base64 out. The dev's favourite box.
pro tips
base64 is not encryption — it's a jacket, not a safe. Anyone can take it off.
The "=" padding is decorative; URL-safe versions drop it because URLs hate "=".
One wrong character is enough to break a decode. base64 has no mercy for typos.
what it does
Encodes text to base64 and back with a click on the direction. Type, paste or decode — everything updates as you go, and it handles full UTF-8, so accents and emojis arrive intact instead of as a wall of "?".
The URL-safe toggle swaps the alphabet for web-friendly characters and drops the "=" padding — handy for tokens and URLs, which have opinions about equals signs.
Handy for tokens, data URIs, quick obfuscation and hiding text from the casual glance. Not from anyone determined — that's what the hash tools are for, and even then, barely.
Use it when you need to embed a small text in a URL, when an API expects a base64-encoded value, or when you spot a familiar "aGVsbG8=" in a config file and want to know what it says. The direction chip does the thinking; you just paste.
quick answers
What is base64?
A way to represent binary data as safe text characters, so it can travel through URLs, emails and JSON without breaking. It's a jacket, not a safe.
Is base64 encryption?
No. Anyone can decode it — it's encoding, not security. For secrets, use proper encryption; for a jacket, this is perfect.
What does the "=" padding mean?
It pads the output so its length is a multiple of 4. URL-safe versions drop it because URLs hate equals signs — and the decoder adds it back.
Does it handle accents and emojis?
Yes — we encode full UTF-8, so "héllo" and 👋 survive the trip intact instead of arriving as a wall of question marks.