About the Base64 Encode / Decode
Base64 encodes binary data into a 64-character ASCII alphabet so it can travel safely through systems that only handle text — HTTP headers, JSON payloads, environment variables, Kubernetes Secrets, and email bodies. Every 3 bytes of input become 4 characters of output, which is why Base64 inflates data size by roughly 33%.
This tool encodes and decodes entirely in your browser — nothing you paste here leaves your machine. That matters when you are decoding things like Kubernetes Secret values, JWT segments, or basic-auth credentials that you would not want sent to a third-party server.
Frequently asked questions
Is Base64 encryption?
No. Base64 is an encoding, not encryption — anyone can reverse it without a key. It provides zero confidentiality. If you need to protect data, encrypt it first (e.g. with AES-GCM) and Base64-encode the ciphertext for transport.
Why does my decoded Base64 output look like garbage?
The original data was probably binary (an image, a DER certificate, a compressed blob), not text. Base64 round-trips bytes faithfully, but rendering those bytes as UTF-8 text produces mojibake. Decode to a file instead of a string when the source is binary.
What is the difference between standard Base64 and Base64URL?
Base64URL replaces + with - and / with _ and usually drops padding (=), making the output safe for URLs and filenames. JWTs use Base64URL for all three segments — pasting a JWT segment into a strict standard-Base64 decoder is a common source of decode failures.
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