Base64 Encoding Guide: Usage and Examples 2026
Base64 Encoding Guide: Usage and Examples 2026
Base64 is a ubiquitous encoding scheme used in everything from email attachments to embedding images in HTML. In this guide, we'll explain how it works and where to use it.
What is Base64?
Base64 is a group of binary-to-text encoding schemes that represent binary data in an ASCII string format by translating it into a radix-64 representation. Ideally, it allows you to transfer binary data over channels that only reliably support text.
How It Works
It takes your binary data (like an image or a file) and divides it into 6-bit chunks. Each 6-bit chunk maps to a character in the Base64 alphabet (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). This results in a string that is safe to transmit via text-based protocols like HTTP or SMTP.
Common Uses
- Data URIs: Embedding small images directly into CSS or HTML to reduce HTTP requests.
- Email Attachments: Encoding binary files (PDFs, images) so they can be sent via MIME.
- Basic Auth: Creating an encoded string of
username:passwordfor HTTP headers.
Is Base64 Secure?
No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption. It can be easily decoded by anyone. Never use it to "hide" sensitive data like passwords or private keys without proper encryption layers (like TLS) generally.
Free Tool
Need to encode a string or decode a Base64 value? Use our Free Base64 Converter Tool. It's fast, client-side, and simple to use.