Encode text as Base64 for text fields, examples, and debugging. Unicode characters are converted to UTF8 bytes before encoding.
How to use
Enter the original text and copy the Base64 output. Include only the characters you intend to encode, since spaces and line breaks change the result.
Example
Hello becomes SGVsbG8=. hello produces a different string because capitalization changes the input bytes.
FAQ
Does Base64 protect a secret?
No. Anyone can decode it. Never use it as password storage or a way to hide credentials.
Related tools
A practical task
Use a short known string to check a receiving system before sending a larger value. Test becomes VGVzdA==. Keep the exact capitalization and any final newline documented, since those details become bytes in the encoded result.
Another useful question
Can I put the result directly in a URL?
Standard Base64 includes characters with special URL meanings. Check if the destination expects ordinary Base64 or its URL variant, then encode the component as required.
Details for interpreting the result
| Detail | Explanation |
|---|---|
| UTF8 bytes | UTF8 encodes characters as bytes. Basic Latin letters use one byte each, while many accented letters and other scripts use more. A byte count therefore differs from a visible character count. |
| Base64 size | Base64 normally stores three input bytes as four visible characters, with padding for incomplete final groups. Encoded text is therefore usually longer than its source bytes; it is not compression. |
| Base64 padding | An equals sign at the end of Base64 fills a final group. It is not part of the decoded message. Do not remove characters from the middle of the value to force a damaged string through a decoder. |
| Standard and URL Base64 | JWTs use a URL friendly Base64 variant. Its alphabet differs from standard Base64 for two characters, and padding is often omitted. A token section and an ordinary Base64 string are not interchangeable without conversion. |
| A complete byte | A byte holds a value from 0 through 255. Binary writes that value with eight digits; hexadecimal writes it with two. Leading zeros are part of that fixed width representation and must stay in place. |
| Encoding and encryption | Encoding changes how data is represented so another system can read it. It does not require a secret key. Encryption protects information with a key, while hashing produces a digest for a different purpose. |
| Similar looking text | Two strings can look identical but use different Unicode sequences. An accented letter can be stored directly or as a letter plus an accent. Visual similarity alone does not establish byte equality. |