What is Base64 encoding?

Base64 converts binary data into ASCII text using a 64-character alphabet (A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /). It's used to safely transmit binary data through text-only channels like email, JSON, and URLs.

Is Base64 encryption?

No. Base64 is encoding, not encryption. Anyone can decode a Base64 string — it provides no security. Use actual encryption (AES, RSA) for sensitive data.

Why does Base64 increase file size?

Base64 converts every 3 bytes of input into 4 characters of output — a 33% size increase. This is the tradeoff for text-safe representation of binary data.

How to Encode and Decode Base64 (With Examples)

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