Base64 Encoder & Decoder
Encode text into Base64 format and decode Base64 strings back to plain text seamlessly.
- Paste plain text into the input box to encode it into Base64.
- Or switch to Decode mode and paste a Base64 string to recover the original text.
- Both directions run instantly as you type, with no data sent to a server.
- Copy the output with one click.
All processing happens entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.
Key Features
- Encode plain text to Base64 instantly
- Decode Base64 strings back to readable plain text
- Full UTF-8 support including emoji and non-Latin characters
- Real-time conversion as you type — no button click required
- One-click copy of encoded or decoded output
- No data leaves your browser — 100% client-side processing
About Base64 Encoder
Base64 is a binary-to-text encoding scheme that represents binary data as a sequence of printable ASCII characters. It is defined in RFC 4648 and is widely used across the web for embedding images in HTML/CSS (data URIs), transmitting binary attachments in email (MIME), encoding authentication credentials in HTTP headers (Basic Auth), and storing binary data in JSON or XML payloads.
The encoding works by taking every 3 bytes of input and mapping them to 4 ASCII characters from a 64-character alphabet (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, +, /). This means the encoded output is always about 33% larger than the original data, which is the trade-off for safe text-based transport.
ForgeKit's Base64 Encoder & Decoder converts text in both directions instantly as you type. It handles UTF-8 text correctly, including multi-byte characters like emoji and non-Latin scripts, and never sends your data to any server.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Base64 is an encoding scheme, not encryption. It does not provide any security — anyone can decode a Base64 string. It is designed for safe data transport, not for protecting sensitive information.
Base64 maps every 3 bytes of input to 4 ASCII characters, resulting in output that is approximately 33% larger. This overhead is the cost of representing binary data as safe text.
This tool encodes text strings. To Base64-encode a binary file, you would need a tool that reads the file bytes. However, you can paste an already-encoded file's Base64 string here to decode it.
Standard Base64 uses + and / characters which have special meaning in URLs. URL-safe Base64 replaces them with - and _. This tool uses standard Base64 encoding.